Are you a User or Abuser???

In my work I am often in conversations that go a little something like this.

"Yeah my _____________ is really sore, especially after I ____________." Or, "I have a lot of trouble with my ______________, especially after I have _____________."

OK, so now that your mind has filled in the blanks with all sort of inappropriate things, let me direct you towards what I am getting at. Many times I hear about what people have that bothers them and what sorts of activities (or non-activities) aggravate their issues. What I don't hear is what they are doing to solve the problem. And when they do talk about the solving the problem, it is often a last resort/drastic attempt at a solution.

Perfect example, and this did just happen to me today. A friend of mine and I were working out at the same time. He says to me, "man my shoulder is still jacked up!" Then he tells me that after softball season he is going to have it scoped and possibly operated on! So I ask him, "well what are you working on today?" He says "shoulders and arms". He also explains how he has a softball game later that night!!! So I say something about him "stretching it and icing it after all that activity" and he just sort of mumbles something about "yeah I need to do more of that". To add insult to injury, I then see him working his shoulders doing overhead dumbbell presses which are notoriously rough on the shoulders if you do not have adequate flexibility and muscular balance!!!

Bingo! There you have it. You have a guy who has a nagging injury. He plans to have it operated on to some extent but not until his softball season is over. And he is doing nothing in the meantime to see if he can alleviate the pain/solve his problem but is continuing to do exercises that are known problem causers!!! DUHHHHHHH!!!! (And this guy is a doctor!!! Sorry, I love my doctor friends but most of them are the most stubborn of all!)

Time and time again I hear things like this. People are not using their bodies but abusing their bodies. When they can't bare it any longer, their first thought is a doctor and surgery! I also experience a lot of people talking about what happens when they aren't using their bodies enough. Like when people sit at a desk all day or they do activities that cause a lot of repetitive motion as part of a job or hobby. Yet when I ask them what they are doing to counteract that activity or inactivity .... nothing!!!

So now hear this! I do declare that most people are body users and abusers!!! To combat this problem I suggest the following steps:

• When problems develop ... consider the activities or inactivity that has maybe contributed to the said problem over
• Think about what strategies you can use to help alleviate the problem (Stretching, icing, elevating, getting up and moving around every so often when seated for long periods of time, etc.)
• Realize that your methods for solving a problem are not going to work over night necessarily. Time and consistent attention to the problem are going to be needed. You can't treat an area every now and then or when you feel like it ... you have to do it every day and do it after every activity that may involve the problem area

Here is a list of common problems/symptoms I hear people complaining about and what someone should do to treat the affected area:

Low Back Pain: Almost always due to weak abdominals (especially lower) and tight hamstrings

Solution - stretch your hamstrings daily - especially after activity where your legs are being used and work to strengthen your abdominals focusing on the lower portion) If you sleep on your side, put a pillow between your legs.

Shoulder pain: People want to almost immediately blame the rotator cuff and it is true that this is a sensitive area that can be aggravated by a variety of activities.

Solution - Again, stretching this area after most weight training activities, even cardio (due to the jarring motion) and after activities where you have used your arms a lot especially in a repetitive motion (example: gardening). Ice the joint after activity as well. Finally work on warming up the joint with specific rotator exercises (internal, external) before activity and increasing your strength and range of motion in and around the shoulder through weight training and flexibility training. Also with shoulders - pay special attention to sleeping habits.

Knee trouble: If I had a nickel for every person who told me their knees were shot, I would be a rich man! There are several ligaments and tendons here that are susceptible to tears and musculature around the knee that takes a lot of abuse.

Solution - Again! Stretch the muscles of the thigh (front and back) but especially the front. Make sure to stretch the knee through appropriate ranges of motion. Also - work on your hip flexors (front above the thigh). Again - icing after aggravation can help. Avoid activities that cause pounding and avoid locking the knees during activity. Finally learn exercises that strengthen the musculature of the knee as well as help you gain more stability and balance!

Thanks for reading

Andy