Health and Wellness Center advises on injury prevention

  • Published
  • By Kenneth Ballard
  • Health and Wellness Center
With the Air Force concept of fit-to-fight, Airmen have to perform physical training about three to four times a week. 

However, physical exercises can lead to injuries. 

With this in mind, the Edwards Health and Wellness Center can provide people with adequate techniques to prevent and treat injuries during exercise. 

When most individuals think of warming-up, they think of stretching, but stretching is only one component of a warm-up. 

Before stretching, individuals should ensure that their muscles have good circulation flowing. 

It is best to start with light activity, such as five minutes on the Lifecycle, or a light quarter-mile jog.  

After blood is flowing to the muscles, the muscle should then be more responsive to stretching.  

A stretch should be done slowly and held for six to 30 seconds; release the stretch after 30 seconds to allow blood flow back into the muscle, then go back into the stretch if you want. 

Stretching is the ideal way to prepare your body for your upcoming run, and for cooling it down afterwards. 

After your workout, stretching maintains or increases your flexibility and range of motion so you stay loose and supple. 

If an individual doesn't warm-up before running, they risk over-stressing cold muscles. 

If you don't stretch afterwards, muscles and tendons which may have tightened up during your run will stay short, increasing your chance of injury. 

Taking the time to stretch will make a huge difference in ones' running program today and in the years to come. 

The "Rule of Thumb" to avoiding an injury is to recognize the early warning signs.
After each run or stretch, massage your leg muscles lightly with your fingers, especially the thumbs. 

During this massage note any tenderness, irregular bumps or any differences from one leg to the other. 

Pain you might not notice during a run will show up during the "Rule of Thumb" test, signaling an injury about to happen. To treat it, use gentle massage. 

If an individual suffers an injury, or experiences the pain or tenderness that signals injury, apply RICE- rest, ice, compression and elevation - immediately. 

With resting, modify your running program to allow the injured tissue to heal. Take an extra day off. 

If the pain persists, take two days off. 

Do not push making the situation worse. 

Ice has been called the runner's best friend. 

Ice helps decrease inflammation, allowing healthy nutrients to reach the injured site and begin the rebuilding process. 

Individuals can apply ice in a variety of ways. 

Fill ice cubes or crushed ice in a plastic bag. 

Fill small paper cups with water, then place them in the freezer. 

Once they're frozen, peel away the paper and apply the ice as a soothing ice massage. 

Apply ice to the tender area for 10 to 15 minutes at least twice a day. 

If the ice touches the skin directly, cut your exposure time down to no more than seven minutes. Always ice an injured area after running. 

To reduce swelling, apply compression to the injured area immediately. Elastic bandages are the way to go. 

Elevating the injured body part to the level of a person's heart, or slightly higher, encourages the flow of blood to and from the inflamed area. 

Damaged tissue is carried away. The nutrients and healing agents flood the area. Individuals should apply the RICE principle to an injured area for 24 to 72 hours after you notice the pain or tenderness. 

After that, you can resume running with caution. To facilitate blood flow, apply moist heat to the area prior to each run. Apply ice afterward to combat inflammation. 

If one does not notice any improvement within a week, or if the pain gets worse, check in with a healthcare professional. 

(Some information is courtesy of superdaveuniversity@roadrunnerssports.com)