Common Workout Injuries and How to Avoid Them

Sports and gym injuries are not only physically unpleasant, they also cause lethargy and can sometimes even lead to depression.

Even those who exercise every single day of their lives are prone to workout injuries and knee joint pain. You may have heard how a seasoned sports player can miss matches because of a muscle pull in the gym.

When gym instructors and trainers tell you that a particular form or posture is not right or bad for your body in the long run then you should avoid them at all costs.

 

Let’s have a look at some of the common workout injuries: Why do they occur & how to avoid them

• Knee Injury: Good warm up exercise before workout sessions is something that should compulsorily be a part of your daily gym routine. People, who have just undergone total knee replacement surgery, should not include those exercises that will put too much strain on their knees
• Foot & Ankle Pain: Wearing unsupportive shoes during your cardio workout sessions can lead to foot and ankle pain. There are two major reasons for this: first, you are not giving your foot proper cushioning; and second, the soles of your shoes are not good enough to provide your ankle adequate support.
• Shoulder Injury: Avoid lifting weights that do not match your BMI (Body Mass Index). Your Shoulder Specialist will tell you which sports and activities are good for when you recover from a Shoulder Replacement Surgery.

If you develop a workout injury, follow the “R.I.C.E.” method to keep your injury from getting worse:

R: Rest the injury

I: Ice the injury to lessen swelling, bleeding, and inflammation

C: Apply a compression bandage to minimize swelling

E: Elevate the injury if possible, to reduce swelling

Different Types of Rotator Cuff Surgery

Your rotator cuff is made up of 4 muscles that help to move and stabilize shoulder joint. Damage to any of the muscles can injure your rotator cuff either acutely or even a serious damage that can keep you bed ridden for a long time. The rotator cuff muscles are anatomically associated with the Scapula; any changes in the movement of scapula can affect your shoulder badly.

Let’s Look at the 3 Types of Surgery That Can Be Performed On Your Injured Rotator Cuff:

Open Rotator Cuff Repair:

One of the surgical methods for your injured rotator cuff is an open rotator cuff repair surgery where a where several centimeter long surgical incision is done over your shoulder.

Who would require Open Rotator Cuff Repair Surgical Incision?

• People with complicated and large rotator cuffs
• People who require reconstruction procedures for eg. Tendon transfers

Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Surgery

Arthroscopic rotator cuff surgery is performed on people with small to medium sized tears. It is an outpatient procedure that and the least invasive of the three rotator cuff repair procedures.

Unlike Open Rotator Cuff Surgery… Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repairs Require Small Incisions… Which Mean

• Shorter Recovery
• Less Pain
• No over complications

Mini-Open Rotator Cuff Repair:

Mini-Open Rotator Cuff Repair uses techniques of both open rotator cuff repair and arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. This combined rotator cuff repair is performed on people who have torn more than one tendon.

Treating Knee Osteoarthritis with Arthroscopy

What is Knee Osteoarthritis?

Osteoarthritis, commonly known as tear arthritis, is a condition in which the natural cushioning between the joints – cartilage wears away. When this happens the bones of the joints rub more closely against one another with less of shod absorbing benefits of cartilage.

What causes Knee Osteoarthritis?

There are five major predisposing factors for Osteoarthritis of the knee:

Gender: Women above the above the age of 55 yrs are most likely to get affected by the Osteoarthritis of the knee.

Age: As one gets older, the knee cartilage loses its ability to heal and that’s the reason why old age is one of the factors why you may be affected.

Heredity: Genetic mutation may be one of the factors responsible for knee Osteoarthritis

Repetitive Stress: This could be one of the main reasons for people getting affected by Osteoarthritis of the knee.

Athletics: Sportsmen playing high intensity sports like Kabaddi, Tennis and Football areprone to knee injuries.

How is Knee Osteoarthritis Treated?

Weight Loss

If you seriously decide to lose weight then it will definitely do a deal of good to your health.

Exercise

Consult a good physiotherapist and strictly follow the exercises prescribed by him; in this way… you’ll feel better about your physical health.

Pain Relievers

If you want to avoid going for a surgery then pain relievers are probably the best option for you… take your medicines as prescribed by your doctor.

Treating Knee Osteoarthritis with Arthroscopy

Arthroscopy

Arthroscopy is a surgical procedure orthopedic surgeons use to visualize, diagnose and treat problems inside the joint.

Arthroscopy for Arthritis?

Arthroscopy cannot treat arthritis and hence its use is very limited in osteoarthritis. It may be required in acute conditions when there is a meniscus tear or a locked knee in a patient with osteoarthritis.

How is Arthroscopy performed?

Arthroscopic surgery although much easier in terms of recovery than open surgery still requires the use of aesthetics and special equipment’s in a hospital operating room or outpatient surgical suite. A small incision about the size of a buttonhole is made and then the arthroscope inserts several incisions to see other parts of the joint or insert other instruments.

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Effectiveness of Total Knee Replacement

Total Knee Replacement

Long considered as the “gold standard” surgery for knee arthritis, total knee replacement is still by far the most commonly performed joint replacement process. It is appropriate for middle-aged and older people who have arthritis in more than one compartment of the knee and who do not expect to return to high-impact athletics or heavy labor work. Results of this process are usually outstanding with 95% of total knee replacements continuing to function well for more than 10 years after operation.

Effectiveness of total knee replacement

Current research suggests that when total knee replacements are performed well in right selected patients, success is achieved in large majority of patients and the implant serves the patient well for several years. Many researches show that 90-95 percent of total knee replacements are still functioning very well even after 10 years of surgery. Most patients walk without the help of a cane, most of them can climb stairs, sit and get up easily from chairs, and most of them resume their desired level of recreational activity.

In many cases, the total knee replacement requires re-operation sometime in the future; it can always be revised (re-done) successfully. However, results of revised knee replacement are usually not as good as first-time knee replacements. There is good evidence that the experience of the knee surgeon correlates with outcome in total knee replacement surgery. It is best to have the initial surgery done by an experienced surgeon. Surgeons with several years of experience have been shown to have fewer complications and better results. It is therefore significant that the surgeon performing the technique just not be a good orthopedic surgeon, but a specialist in knee replacement surgery.

Precaution to be taken after knee replacement surgery

After operation, you’re wheeled to a recovery room for at least one to two hours. You’re then moved to your hospital room, where you usually stay for a couple of days. You might feel little pain, but medications prescribed by your surgeon should help to control it. During the hospital stay, you’re encouraged to move your ankle and foot, which will increase the blood flow to your leg muscles and will help to prevent swelling and blood clots. You might need blood thinners, support hose or even compression boots to further protect against swelling and clotting.

The day after operation, a physical therapist shows you how to exercise with your new knee. During the first few weeks after operation, a good recovery is more likely to take place if you follow all the orthopedic surgeon’s instructions which are concerned with wound care, diet and exercise. Your physical activity program will comprise of:

• A graduated walking program: first indoors, then outdoors, will help to increase your mobility
• You need to slowly resume to other household activities, which include: walking up and down stairs
• Knee-strengthening exercises which are recommended by the hospital physical therapist, should be performed several times a day

The Role of Orthopedic Surgeons

Orthopedics is the branch of medicine related to diseases, damages and conditions of the musculoskeletal system or the body’s muscles and skeleton. This structure also comprises of the joints, tendons, ligaments and nerves. Meanwhile, orthopedic surgeons are the medical specialists who are responsible for preventive and surgical treatment of the musculoskeletal system.

About Orthopedic Surgery and Surgeon

Experts insist that the exact name of this medical specialty is actually orthopedic surgery and not orthopedics. However, orthopedics is the commonly known and accepted term for the purpose. As a line of specialists, orthopedic surgery is made up of surgeons (knee specialist, shoulder specialist and so on) and other healthcare professionals who provide comprehensive orthopedic services.This line of expertise provides treatment for diseases, damages, fractures and pain. In addition, orthopedists also take care of rehabilitation programs for the physically disabled and participate in ongoing musculoskeletal study.

Orthopedic Surgeons/Physicians – Key Roles

The main roles of an orthopedic surgeon/physician can be divided into the following sub-heads:

Diagnostic and assessment technique Treatment Research

Here we have discussed each and every role in detail to facilitate a better understanding of an orthopedic surgeon/physician’s role and functions.

Diagnostic Role

A vast number of patients visit their orthopedic surgeon/physicians every year for a series of ailments, disorders and medical conditions. There are a vast number of conditions that have an impact on our body’s musculoskeletal system, which need clinical care by an orthopedic surgeon.

What does an Orthopedic Surgeon Treat?

An orthopedic surgeon treats musculoskeletal conditions without operation, by using medications, exercise and other rehabilitative or alternative therapies. If required, he/she may also recommend surgical treatment.

Some of the conditions and diseases an orthopedic surgeon treatment includes:

• Abnormalities of the fingers and toes
• Osteoarthritis
• Osteoporosis
• Ruptured disks, Back pain, sciatica and scoliosis
• Bone tumors, muscular dystrophy and cerebral palsy
• Fractures and dislocations
• Growth abnormalities
• Tendon injuries, pulled muscles, bursitis and torn cartilage
• Torn ligaments, sprains and strains
• Club foot, bunions, bow legs, knock knees and unequal leg length
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Sports or work-related injuries