Injuries Associated with the Weekend Warrior and How to Avoid Them

The weekend warrior is the person who participates in intense activity or workouts on the weekend but does little to nothing the rest of the week. Many of us fall into this category, usually, because our day to day doesn’t allow for time to exercise during the week, between work and family obligations it can be difficult to find the time.

Because of this situation, we find the following types of injuries to be common amongst the weekend warriors, such as:

• Achilles Tendinitis or Rupture
• Tennis Elbow
• Shin Splints
• Low Back Pain
• Muscle Strains and Joint Sprains

We need to be realistic and not expect our bodies to go from inactivity most of the week to all out intensity on the weekend. Preparing your body and gradually building up the intensity over time is important as well as having the proper equipment and employing the correct technique.

It is recommended that before the activity you perform a warm-up to get warm blood circulating throughout the body to loosen up the muscles, usually about 10 minutes of light calisthenics and stretching. To perform optimally and minimize the risk of injury, it is important to exercise daily to help the body increase its tolerance to intense activity on the weekend. Finally, Cool Down, after the activity to help restore blood circulation and reduce injuries. Remember, we don’t slam on the brakes, if possible, to stop the car.

Physical Therapy can help prevent the above stated injuries by performing a thorough assessment of your posture, flexibility, ROM and strength. With these results, your PT can treat any deficits found but also develop a home exercise program specifically designed to help correct the areas that require improvement in order to give you the means to minimize your injury risk potential and continue to enjoy your sport/activity for a  long time.

If you have any questions give Reddy Care Physical & Occupational Therapy a call!
Reddy Care Great Neck: 516-829-0030
Reddy Care Farmingdale: 516-420-2900
In-Home Physical & Occupational Therapy: 516-829-0030

Source: https://www.actionphysicaltherapy.com/avoid-weekend-warrior-injuries      https://www.athletico.com/2018/06/29/identifying-common-injuries-in-the-weekend-warrior

Author

Russell J. Poker, PT Russ Poker, PT has been a therapist since 1992 primarily in private practice specializing in general orthopedic care with a focus on neck and back related issues. He graduated from SUNY at Stony Brook for Physical Therapy and hold degrees in Physical Education from Adelphi University and the Wingate Institute in Israel. Russ speaks Hebrew, Spanish and French which he finds helpful in communicating with his patients. Having a varied background of living abroad, serving in the military and participating in different sports helps him understand people better and put them more at ease. As he gets closer in age to his patients, he understands where they are coming from better and what they want to maintain in their functional abilities to stay active and vital.