There are 206 bones in the body, about 650 muscles, and 187 joints. That makes for a lot of potential injuries. Most of the time, we don’t think about injuring our precious bodies during our workouts. We think of ourselves as Michelangelo, trying to sculpt every muscle into the perfection we desire. Though the human form is a beautiful masterpiece, if we are not careful a small strain can turn into months of rehab. And rehab sucks!
Most injuries can be avoided by proper lifting techniques, not going up in weight until you’re ready, and most importantly listening to your body. If you’re having an off day, which we all have, it’s a good idea to take it easy at the gym. Maybe going lower weight and higher reps. Point is, you know your body better than anyone so listen to what your masterpiece is telling you.
Elbows
I’ll start with elbows. You
have two of them… only two! Now the elbow houses the biceps and triceps tendons; they can easily swell causing tendonitis that is unbelievably annoying (unfortunately, I know this all too well), a small tear, or a complete tear. A torn biceps/ triceps can cause a bit of pain, just ask Jay Cutler. I’m sure he would also tell you that coming back from that is hard work but possible.
Elbow Rehab: It’s good to start with RICE… rest, ice, compression, and elevation. Once inflammation is down, move to range of motion of exercises, regaining flexion and extension when needed. When your elbow is ready, start to rebuild strength and stability to the joint.
Knees
Knees, knees, knees… Our legs get us from bench press to the lat pull down machine and if you’re a real bodybuilder those precious babies get us to the squat rack where the magic really happens. So it’s important these babes stay healthy. There are four ligaments that help stabilize the knee. All four of them limit the movement of the bones to prevent dislocation. The ACL (Anterior Cruciate Ligament) is usually torn when the knee gives out, overstretching the tendon to the point of breaking.
If this happens it’s best to get to your doctor as soon as you can and ice it while you’re waiting to see the doctor. A common misconception I get a lot with knee injuries is the body will heal itself. That’s not the case with ACL or even a torn meniscus. There is a lack of blood supply to these areas and blood is what heals our injuries.
The best way to rehab the ACL or torn meniscus is to first and foremost see your doctor and find out the extent of the injury. Surgery may be required. Please consider it if it’s required. Other than surgery it’s important you take the time to properly relieve the inflammation by icing the area. Strengthening the quad and hamstrings is necessary to help counterbalance the injury. Full recovery can take months, avoid high impact activities; try swimming to strengthen the ligaments and quads/hams.
Lower back
Lower back pain can be debilitating. I hate to see anyone hurt, but back injuries are esp
ecially serious. Yes, all injuries can be serious but there isn’t a crutch for a back injury or a great compression sleeve to relieve all the pain. Back pain is simply a pain… a huge pain! Laughing hurts, sitting hurts, laying down hurts; all movement hurts.
As persistent lifters we push our bodies to the max on a regular basis. This puts a strain on our backs. Pulling a muscle is probably the most common injury; again listen to your body. A pulled muscle needs to be iced (acute musculoskeletal injuries) and heated (chronic conditions) to generate more blood supply to your injured area so those cells can repair and heal the tissues.
More serious potential back pain can be cause by a slipped disc, fractured vertebrae, or hip dislocation. Oh, gosh, so many different ways to hurt your back. If you’re experiencing chronic back pain (longer than three months) a doctor’s appointment is a very good idea.
Of course there are thousands of other injuries we can sustain while prepping for our beloved sport, although most injuries can be avoided by lifting and resting properly. And I almost forgot about rest!
REST, REST, REST!!!! Resting your body is key to staying healthy. I know you’re probably thinking “yeah, yeah, yeah! I’ve heard that a thousand times!” and if you are, you’re probably one of the thousands (or more like millions) of people who need more rest, so listen and do.
According to a Harvard study on metabolism and weight: Chronic sleep deprivation may cause weight gain by affecting the way our bodies’ process and store carbohydrates, and by altering levels of hormones that affect our appetite. Cardiovascular health: Serious sleep disorders have been linked to hypertension, increased stress hormone levels, and irregular heartbeat.
Our bodies are a perfect work of art and if you take care of your body it will always take care of you. The human body will blow you away when you study how everything works together. Rest is critical to healing our muscles after every grueling workout and fighting off those disgusting germs left behind on the dumbbells… well, everything in the gym really. But probably the most significant feat your body performs is communicating when it’s time to slow down and rest.
References:
http://www.livestrong.com/article/298161-lower-back-injuries-from-lifting-weights/
http://breakingmuscle.com/health-medicine/common-elbow-injuries-and-what-do-about-them
http://www.bigkneepain.com/knee_injuries.html
http://www.livinghealthy360.com/index.php/how-the-body-heals-itself-healing-body-healing-tissue-repair-healing-injuries-healing-process-32164/
http://www.health.harvard.edu/press_releases/importance_of_sleep_and_health
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