With gyms, running events and team sports back in full swing, an unfortunate side effect for participants can be an overuse sporting injury. Whether you are taking on a new challenge or getting back to your sport, the enthusiasm of embarking on a new training program can result in overdoing the exercise and causing injury. Unfortunately, an overuse injury can be very debilitating and, if persistent, reduce the motivation for you to continue to train.
Overuse sporting injuries are one of the most common complaints we are seeing at Redbourn Physiotherapy at the moment, especially as the summer running season has come to a close. So, in this article, we’ll look at the common causes of overuse injuries, how to help prevent injury while training and options for recovery.
What can cause an overuse sporting injury?
An overuse sporting injury tends to be a soft tissue or joint injury that is cause by repetitive use. As sports training concentrates on repetitive conditioning activities, such as running or reps, overuse injuries are a common side effect.
There are two main reasons overuse sports injuries occur:
Technique
Repetitive action coupled with poor form greatly increase the likelihood of an overuse injury. This is particularly the case if you are starting out in a new sport, or returning to sport at a lower level of fitness.
Training
Training issues can occur when you take on too much activity too fast. Increasing the duration, intensity, or repetitions of your exercise too quickly is a common route to an overuse injury.
What can I do to prevent an overuse sporting injury?
There are six main areas that can help you to avoid an overuse sporting injury and reach your goals in a slow, steady and achievable way.
Preparation
Preparation for taking on a new sport, or return after a break, is key. Consider the gear your will need for your sport. Does it serve its purpose? Does it need updating?
Take time to warm up before your session. Concentrate on slow, steady and reduced versions of your activity for your warm up, so your muscle groups are ready to work.
Get in touch with your GP or physiotherapist before taking on a new activity, especially if it has been some time since you last exercised or you have a chronic condition that could affect your training.
Concentrate on your technique
The tendency when starting training can be to concentrate on getting aerobic fitness to increase quickly, as the initial sessions feel challenging. A better approach is to concentrate on your technique over your aerobic fitness. Coupling poor technique with intensity is a sure way to an overuse injury, but if you can get your technique right you will greatly reduce this risk.
Pace yourself
Pacing yourself as you build up your training is the key to success and avoiding injury. Make sure you spread your training session out throughout the week and avoid increasing the intensity of your sessions too quickly. Listen to your body. If you can feel any pain while training, slow down rather than powering through.
Build up gradually
Be realistic about your fitness and skill level, and don’t try to do too much at once. Gradually build up the duration and number of repetitions of your activity. This will give your body time to adjust and reduce the likelihood of an overuse injury.
Mix up your training
Research shows that focusing solely on one activity can increase the likelihood of an overuse injury. By adding variety into your training programme, you will use different muscle groups, giving your body time to repair while complementing your training. For example, if you are a runner, then adding in strength and flexibility training can greatly benefit your running sessions. Incorporating low impact exercise, such as swimming or walking, is a good move for your conditioning too.
Rest
Taking time out from training to rest is possibly one of the most overlooked aspect of a training schedule, but it is vital to let the body recover and build strength. So, make sure to space out your training days with rest days in between.
Treatment and recovery for an overuse sporting injury
If you suspect you have an overuse sporting injury then it is best to seek treatment by contacting your GP or consulting a physiotherapist. Through a consultation, we can determine the cause and severity of your injury. From here, we can create a treatment program with measurable benchmarks to work towards your recovery and prevent recurrence. Depending on the condition and persistence, we can also recommend other treatment routes in-house or through a GP referral.
Get in touch
If you would like to get in touch with us about physiotherapy or sports therapy, please call on 01582 794441, or book online for an appointment here.