This week, Bobbi Conner talks with Dr. Alec DeCastro about overuse sports and fitness injuries in adults. Dr. DeCastro is a Professor and Program Director for Primary Care Sports Medicine in the Department of Family Medicine and Orthopaedics at MUSC.
TRANSCRIPT:
Conner: I'm Bobbi Conner for South Carolina Public Radio with Health Focus here at the radio studio for the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. Overuse injuries often start with small, mild symptoms that grow worse over time. Doctor Alec DeCastro is here to talk about common overuse injuries in adults and strategies for prevention. Doctor DeCastro is a Professor and Program Director for Primary Care Sports Medicine in the Department of Family Medicine and Orthopedics at MUSC Doctor DeCastro, what are some of the common overuse injuries in adults who play recreational sports, or perhaps just do regular fitness training or workouts?
Dr. DeCastro: Probably most common are tendon problems, achilles tendinitis, tennis elbow, rotator cuff problems in the shoulder, along with things like plantar fasciitis, shin splints, and sometimes stress injuries to bone. We see them in all types of athletes, runners, walkers, people who lift weights, increasingly in recreational sports like pickleball. The important distinction is overuse injury usually doesn't happen with one bad step or one awkward moment. It's usually a slow accumulation of stress over time.
Conner: And what are the common causes for all sorts of overuse injuries, in a variety of sports and fitness routines that adults are involved in?
Dr. DeCastro: Repetition is a big part of it, but the bigger issue is usually doing more than your body is prepared for, so that exercise isn't actually a healthy stress. We put stress on muscles, tendons, bones, and then the body recovers and becomes stronger. But that adaptation takes time. So, problems start developing when the workload goes up faster than the body can keep up with. A really common example is someone who hasn't run in several months and suddenly decides they're going to run for four days a week, or to discover pickleball, and go from playing once a week to playing every day. So, it's not the activity itself that's the problem. It's the sudden jump in activity.
Conner: When it comes to overuse injuries in adults, what sorts of symptoms should people pay attention to?
Dr. DeCastro: Usually, pain is the first clue. Early on, someone may notice an ache after exercising, but it goes away fairly quickly. Then they might start feeling it during exercise. So, if they continue pushing through it, the pain starts lasting longer or shows up at normal activities like climbing stairs. So, I tell people to watch the pattern, not just the pain. So, an ache that improves is one thing. An ache that shows up earlier, lasting longer or getting stronger deserves your attention.
Conner: And what can you do to recover from an overuse injury?
Dr. DeCastro: The first step is usually to turn the load down rather than turn it completely off. So, if running hurts, reduce the mileage. If it's an upper body problem, modify the exercises that are aggravating it. We work on rebuilding strength and gradually increasing the activity again. That's where things like physical therapy can be helpful. The goal is not to rest until the pain disappears. The goal is to make the injury area strong enough to handle the activity again.
Conner: What strategies can help prevent overuse injuries during fitness workouts or sports for adults?
Dr. DeCastro: Probably the number one thing is to build gradually. So, if you're starting a new activity, don't make up for the last six months in the first week. Give your body time to adapt. Second, include strength training. Stronger muscles help your body tolerate the stresses of running, walking, sports, and every activity. Third, recovery counts. Sleep, nutrition, hydration and easier days aren't lost training days, they're when your body adapts to the training. And finally, don't ignore a pain pattern that's really getting worse. You don't have to react to every single ache, but you don't want to wait until a small problem becomes a big one.
Conner: Doctor DeCastro, thanks for talking with us about overuse injuries.
Dr. DeCastro: You're welcome.
Conner: From the radio studio for the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, I'm Bobbi Conner for South Carolina Public Radio.
Health Focus transcripts are intended to accurately represent the original audio version of the program; however, some discrepancies or inaccuracies may exist. The audio format serves as the official record of Health Focus programming.
