Jun
27
Oh My Poor Back
Filed Under Illness and Injury, Injuries
Yes, even a healthy life, a good weight and high level of fitness do not make someone injury proof. Take me as an example, I have no idea what I did, but my back is in horrible pain this morning. I think I pulled a muscle somewhere in my mid back. Whatever it is, I had the most miserable night last night with very little sleep and plenty of pain. At about 2:30am, I stumbled to the nearest gas station in order to pick up a bottle of Advil. It helped, a little, but I’m back at grad school this morning and not feeling so well. So rather than talk about fitness today, I’d like to talk about injuries, how to avoid them and what to do if you get them.
How To Avoid Injuries
- Don’t be stupid! - Yes, it sounds obvious but most injuries are actually easily preventable by not being stupid. Don’t ride your bike without a helmet, don’t use broken equipment, don’t lift more than you should and so on. Really, stupidity and carelessness are the number 1 cause of injuries.
- Use good form - Good form isn’t just for good fitness, it’s also for preventing injuries. If your body is flailing around each time you lift a weight, you’re going to injure yourself eventually. You’re trying to lift too much and you’re not doing it in a controlled manner. That’s just begging for an injury.
- Don’t overdo it - Overtraining is dangerous. Overdo the cardio and you’ll get a stress fracture like I did. Overdo the weights and you’ll strain a muscle, like I did.
Those three items right there are enough to prevent the overwhelming majority of injuries. Sometimes though, even with proper care, you still hurt yourself. Which brings me to my next topic.
What To Do When You’re Injured
- Nothing - No, that doesn’t mean ignoring the injury. It means rest, as in not doing anything strenuous. If you’re injured, you need to rest. Your body can heal most injuries but it needs you to not add more strain on top of the injury. It doesn’t make you tough to keep training through an injury, it just makes you stupid.
- Take a pain killer or anti inflammatory - For some injuries, you may need a pain killer like an advil. Yes, I hate medication as much as the next guy, but my body needs rest and if I’m in too much pain to sleep then I’m not getting that rest. A tylenol won’t make you a drug addict.
- See the doctor - If it’s a serious injury, see a doctor. If you’re not sure if it’s a serious injury, see a doctor. If it doesn’t seem to be getting better, see a doctor. Again, I’m not a fan of going to the doctor for every minor scratch or cold but I’m also not stupid. I know my body and if it’s serious, I have no problem with going to see my physician.
Fitness Does Not Equal Injury Proof
In fact, being fit might lead to more injuries. You’re doing more, you’re more active. For example, I go hiking, I work out, I bike. All of these things have a higher injury rate than my former lifestyle of sitting in front of the computer eating microwaved pizza pockets. So what? Injuries are a part of life. Don’t be afraid of them, just try to prevent them where possible and deal with them when you have to.
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I had a blast during my class field day yesterday. Yes, I had a miserable night but I don’t regret running around yesterday. I’m going to rest today and tomorrow and hopefully be back to normal on Sunday. If I’m still feeling bad on Monday, I’ll go see a doctor. Now I just need to get through this statistics session!
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4 Responses to “Oh My Poor Back”
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It seems like the main reason most people injure their backs is due to low awareness of correct posture.
We are constantly placing so much unnecessary strain on our backs by slouching, and especially bending over and lifting things and using our backs instead of our legs.
People have to remember to maintain the natural curvature of the spine at all times, especially when bending over to pick something up. Even tying your shoe lace can injure the back if you are not careful.
Hey,
These points cannot be stressed enough! I wrote a post some time back on my personal site about defeating over training; if people are getting hurt because of silly mistakes: trying to show off, not allowing proper recovery, lack of sleep and so on.
It’s nice to see someone else warning people about injuries and over training. I always tell my friends to do everything they can to avoid injury; because when your injured, you’re likely setting yourself back, physically and financially- especially if serious injury occurs!
Totally agreed Miguel. Actually, I should add one more item. If you do take medication and it makes the pain go away, that does NOT mean the injury is gone, it just means you can’t feel it. Don’t make a mistake and stop resting just because the pain is artificially suppressed.
Gal
Big think is not to stretch when you tear a muscle. Very bad idea! Let the muscle heal!