Off Duty, Military Health and Fitness - Air Force Times

Body Shop: Pain, pain, go away

A Navy SEAL might not let a cracked collarbone keep him out of the field, but most of us are slower to bounce back when injury strikes. The trick is knowing the right way to rehab.

“Too often, a minor injury becomes a major bump” in a fitness routine, said Dr. Vonda Wright, a sports medicine surgeon at the University of Pittsburgh. What’s the best way to get back in the game? We asked the experts for tips on how to tackle the most common exercise aches.

Pounding the pavement

What hurts? The sole of your foot and heel are tight and tender.

Here’s why: With overuse, the connective tissue that runs the length of your sole can become inflamed or suffer microscopic tears. Known as plantar fasciitis, it usually feels worse early in the morning, better during exercise and painful once you stop.

Feel better: Sit in a chair and place a cold soda can on its side on the floor in front of you, says Dr. Christopher Anselmi Jr., a chiropractor. Put your foot on top of the can and, applying medium pressure, roll it back and forth. The cold will reduce swelling while the massage eases the pain.

Your new game plan: Consider buying inserts that will provide better arch support.

Back in action

What hurts? As you pass your arm overhead during a lat pull-down, you feel a sharp pinch in your upper back.

Here’s why: Repetitive motion can irritate the nerves in your neck as your muscles contract.

Feel better: “Place your opposite hand on the sore side of your neck, on the fleshy portion between the base and your shoulder,” Anselmi says. “Press until you feel the tender spot. Turn your head away from the tight area while applying pressure.” Relax until the pain eases.

Your new game plan: Looser muscles equal fewer injuries. Face a closed door and grab the knob with both hands. Lean back from your hips, keeping legs straight (don’t lock your knees). Let your head hang; feel the stretch in your upper body as you twist your head from side to side.

Spinning your wheels

What hurts? You feel a grinding in your knees as you pedal; later, they swell and ache.

Here’s why: Overuse, improper motion while pedaling and incorrect seat height all can cause inflammation of your knees.

Feel better: The key to knee health is strong quads. Strengthen them by doing wall squats with your knees bent 60 degrees or leg presses on a machine.

Your new game plan: Check your form. Your foot should pedal pointing forward; rotating inward can aggravate the band of tissue on the side of your leg by causing it to rub against the knee joint.

Weighty issues

What hurts? Yesterday, you were king or queen of the gym — lifting, pressing and flexing. Today, you can barely stand up straight.

Here’s why: Working new muscles, using too much weight and having weak obliques are all prime causes of back pain. “Your spine is a column of bones surrounded by tiny muscles holding it in place,” Wright said. “Your core is a giant sheath of muscles that stabilize the spine from the front. If your core is weak, strength training can stress the smaller muscles around the spine.”

Feel better: Patience. With a few days of “active rest,” the aches should disappear. This means you shouldn’t strain your back, but stretching, icing and gentle core work are OK. Cross-train by walking and swimming.

Your new game plan: The best moves for strengthening your abdominal muscles? “Standard planks and side planks,” Wright said. Hold each for 30 seconds and work up to two minutes.