Spring is here! How to prevent injuries

Spring often results in musculoskeletal injuries. People get back into their gardens or get out more playing sport or exercising.

We sometimes forget that it may have been a while since we last did this so we need to take a few precautions.

When getting back into the garden, the most common problem that I come across is low back and shoulder problems. This typically occurs because you are bending over or using your arms in an outstretched position for hours at a time. The ligaments and tendons that are being stretched are under load and undergo a phenomenon called creep. Creep is when the ligament or tendon stretches under a constant load. If the amount of stretch is within the normal limits then the ligament or tendon returns to it's original length. If the amount of stretch is greater than the normal limits then the tendon or ligament becomes over-stretched or lax. With ligaments this means that they are no longer able to properly support the joint. This can lead to instability, pain, and eventual osteoarthritis of the joint (1).

To prevent the possibility of having lax tendons and/or ligaments while gardening, it is recommended that you change position regularly. How regularly depends on your age and your physical condition. Ligaments and tendons are not as elastic when we get older, so older people will need to change position more regularly. If you kneeling or bending you will need to change position into something that is more active such as walking, watering the garden, fertilising and so on. Do not wait until you feel pain before you change position. The pain usually means that you have caused some damage already.

When exercising or playing sport after a period of time off, remember that your body has gone through some deconditioning so you will not be able to "start where you left off". Gradually build up back to the level of exercise or training that you were doing previously.

On a side note, you can now subscribe to the website (it's free), so you can be notified of when new blogs are posted.

If you are having any pain or have any further questions please feel free to contact myself or another health professional.

References

1. Hauser, Ross & E Dolan, Erin. (2017). Ligament Injury and Healing: An Overview of Current Clinical Concepts. Journal of Prolotherapy