Tips for Athletes Who Want to Avoid Overuse Injuries

Overuse injuries are a major cause of knee pain, hip pain, back pain, and other symptoms, taking a toll on your comfort and often interfering with your ability to play the sport you love. Although overuse injuries can definitely be treated, it’s essential to seek treatment as soon as possible — and even better if you can avoid them in the first place

At Metro Spine PC, our team helps athletes of all ages and all levels recover from sports injuries using custom treatment plans tailored to help them get back in the game as quickly as possible. Here’s what you can do to avoid injuries and stay healthy.

How overuse injuries happen

Overuse injuries happen when a muscle, bone, ligament, or tendon is stressed repeatedly, without giving the tissue a chance to rest and recover in between. Overuse injuries develop over time, while acute injuries (like ankle sprains) are acute injuries that occur suddenly).

Typically when we exercise or take part in a sport, extra stress placed on muscles and other tissues results in tiny microinjuries that help the tissue rebuild itself, adapt, and become stronger over time. But when we overload those tissues too often, they never have a chance to adapt and strengthen — and injuries occur, instead.

Overuse injuries are more common among people who:

• Are too aggressive in their activities
• Ramp up activity too quickly
• Focus on a single activity over time
• Have a prior injury
• Have poor athletic conditioning 
• Lead a sedentary lifestyle

Though overuse injuries can affect athletes of all ages, they tend to be more common among kids and older adults.

Preventing overuse injuries

There’s no way to completely eliminate the risk of injury, but with overuse injuries, you can take some steps to reduce that risk.

Give your body time to rest

It’s tempting to think the more you play or practice, the better you’ll be. But rest helps your body heal while improving your strength, flexibility, and endurance. Be sure to allow some time for your body to recover between games or practice sessions. 

Switch up your routine

You don’t have to be sedentary to rest your body. The key is to avoid straining the same tissues over and over again. If you run, add in strength training. If you play basketball, try Pilates or yoga. Cross training in two or more areas mixes activities to avoid strain while also improving overall fitness. 

Use proper technique and equipment

To play a sport well, you need to use proper technique and wear quality protective gear designed for the sport. Skimping on either technique or gear increases your risk of injury by placing excess stress and strain on your joints, muscles, and other parts of your body. The same is true if your personal gear or footwear are ill-fitting.

Don’t skip the warm-up

When you’re ready to play, it’s all too tempting to skip the warm up. But warming up gets your muscles, joints, tendons, and ligaments ready for activity, increasing circulation and preparing your body to withstand the increased strain of play. Before any activity, it’s important to stretch and get your muscles moving to prevent stiffness that can lead to injury.

Increase activity gradually

When beginning any new activity, whether it’s a new sport or an unfamiliar exercise routine, start slowly and ramp up gradually to avoid putting too much strain on your muscles. Sudden increases can overload your muscles, tendons, and ligaments and lead to overuse injuries.

Listen to your body

Be aware of any symptoms of pain or fatigue, indicators that your body has had enough. If you notice any discomfort or if you’re feeling worn out, take a break to assess the situation — and stop playing if necessary. Never try to “play through the pain.”

Care for overuse injuries

If you do suffer an injury or if you have persistent or worsening pain following activity, scheduling an office visit right away is essential for preventing more serious problems from developing. During your visit, we evaluate your symptoms and perform testing when needed to develop a treatment plan focused on your specific needs.

To learn how we can help you recover from any type of sports-related injury, request an appointment online or over the phone with the team at Metro Spine PC in Oxon Hill and Clinton, Maryland, or Washington, DC, today.