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The members at the Fitness Centre at Celebration Health have many questions. Our resident "Dr. Health", Brad Homan has answered many repetitive questions below: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Q: I'm a runner and I just increased my weekly mileage about two weeks ago. Now I am having pain in my shins after I finish running that lasts for about 20 minutes. Should I be concerned about the pain and what can I do to stop it? A: It is not unusual to experience shin pain after increasing weekly mileage. But you certainly don't want to overlook it. Make sure you cool down after your run, and stretch well after your cool down- especially your calves. Applying ice to the area after your run will be very beneficial, it will decrease any inflammation you have and will decrease the soreness you may begin to experience the next day. Ice massage may be more beneficial than just an ice pack- get some paper cups, fill them 2/3 with water and freeze them. When you are ready to use them peel the cup down to expose the ice and massage your shins with the ice for 7-10 minutes each (don't press so hard that you cause pain, and massage with long strokes along your shin). If you would rather use the ice packs, make sure you have a light layer of towel or sheet between the pack and your skin and ice for 15-20 minutes. Try changing the surface you run on- grass is softer than asphalt, asphalt is softer than cement. Check your shoes- if your shoes are older than 6 months you may want to consider getting a new pair- make sure you have good quality insoles in the shoes. Check with your physician before beginning a regimen of anti-inflammatories. If you begin to experience pain when you run, your pain starts to last longer than just 20 minutes, or the pain continues for 3 or more weeks consult a physician to rule out anything more serious such as stress fractures.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Q:I just started a walk/jog program about 3 weeks ago. Now the bottoms of my feet hurt all the time. It feels like something stabs me when I take my first steps in the morning. What could this be? A:Your symptoms are consistant with a condition called plantar fasciitis. The plantar fascia is soft tissue that runs along the bottom of your feet from the heel to the toes and acts as a shock absorber when you take a step. This condition can be very troublesome if not addressed properly and quickly. First- make sure you have good shoes, lack of proper support will not only bring on the discomfort, but your efforts to ease the pain will not be successful if your shoes are the root of the problem. Second- check your feet and fit insoles appropriately. Plantar fasciitis does not only affect people with pes planus- flat feet; it also affects people with hig arches- pes cavus. A lot of times these problems can be addressed with good insoles that have extra arch support, occassionally it is appropriate to see a podiatrist to have custom orthotics made. Third, ice- cold application is very beneficial in treating this injury. Fill a bottle of water and freeze it, when you are ready to use it put the bottle on the floor and roll your foot over it for about 10 minutes per foot (yes, this will be uncomfortable). Stretch- stretching is very important, especially your calves. Stretch your calves several times during the day; first thing in the morning before you stand up wrap your sheet around your toes and pull your toes up toward your face- this should alleviate some of your pain first thing in the morning. Again, check with your physcian before beginning a regimen of anti-inflammatories and if you pain persists you may want to consult a physician for further treatment.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Q: I play basketball about twice a week at the gym I workout at. My knees have really been bothering me. the pain is mainly under the knee cap and increases when I go upstairs. Could I have tendonitis? What do you recommend I do? A: How long have your knees been bothering you? If it has been longer than 3 or 4 weeks or has gotten progressively worse, consult your physician. If it hasn't been that long, I would first suggest taking a short break from basketball- even decreasing your play to once a week for a short period of time. You can continue to exercise, but if your training routine involves running I would switch to an elliptical, swimming, or a bike. Continue to train legs with exercises that don't aggravate your knees and lighten up on the weight a little for a couple of weeks until you are feeling better, then gradually increase your weight. Make sure your form is good with all of your exercises- ask a member of the fitness staff to check your form during your workout. Stretch your lower body well; you can apply heat to the area before your workout (here at Celebration Fitness Center we have a heated pool that you can stick your leg into for about 15 minutes prior to your workout); and ice your knees after your workout to decrease inflammation and pain.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Q: I play golf once or twice a week and have developed pain in my elbow. It has gotten progressively worse over the last three weeks; I am down to only half a round of golf because of the pain. Should I see my doctor? A: Yes, you should see your doctor. While you are waiting for your appointment, take a break from golf. Stretch your forearm well (remember not to stretch to a point of pain). Ice massage your elbow (see above Q&A for instructions for ice massage) for 5-7 minutes per day, especially after activity. After your visit with the physician, if he doesn't prescribe you physical therapy (in the case that your doctor doesn't prescribe physical therapy you can request it, physical therapy will be beneficial), continue with the stretching and add progressive strengthening of your wrist, elbow, and shoulder. Consult your fitness staff for help with safely progressing through your strengthening program and safe return to golf.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Q: I have developed some pain in the front of my shoulder. I can't really lift my arm up all the way without pain. I can't sleep on that side without pain. What should I do? A: Since you have progressed to a point where your range of motion is limited and your sleep is affected by your pain, I suggest you consult a physician- preferably one who specializes in orthopedic injuries. It may be nothing more than tendonitis, but it could be something as significant as a rotator cuff tear. Discontinue overhead strengthening exercises in the mean time. You should be referred to physical therapy if surgery is not required. Once you have finished with your physical therapy, you can return to the weight room. I highly recommend working with a member of the fitness staff to ensure proper form and safe progression.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Celebration Health & Fitness Centre's Dr. Health provides health information and should not be considered specific medical advice, a diagnosis, treatment, or a second opinion for health conditions. If you have an existing ailment that could be adversely affected by information provided on this site, or if you have an urgent health problem, consult with a health care provider before acting on information contained here. |
