If you spend Saturday and Sunday trying to make up for the exercise or household chores you missed out on during the workweek, you may put yourself at risk for a variety of injuries.
One of the most effective ways to avoid the hazards of being a weekend warrior is to exercise on most days of the week and tackle home improvement projects as they arise, instead of trying to cram a week’s worth into one or two days. This quick guide to weekend-warrior injuries can help you enjoy Saturday and Sunday and avoid starting the work week in pain:
- Ankle sprain—If you like to spend weekends running or playing basketball, safeguard your ankle ligaments by warming up and lacing up in shoes that match your activity.
- Fracture—If you have to break out a ladder to paint a room, change light bulbs or clean gutters, prevent a fall that could result in broken bones by placing the ladder on a firm, level surface. Keep at least two hands and one foot—or vice versa—on the ladder at all times. Finally, move the ladder as needed instead of overreaching.
- Groin strain—Don’t jump into activity with cold muscles. Take at least five minutes to warm up and stretch. Also, squat down to generate power with your hips and knees when lifting planters, bags of soil and other heavy items in the yard.
- Rotator cuff injuries—Playing the same shoulder-dependent sports, such as tennis or golf, can lead to chronic inflammation or a tear of the rotator cuff. You can reduce the burden on this group of soft tissues by varying your activities.
- Shin splints—If high-intensity exercise such as running causes pain in your lower legs, scale back the duration and intensity of your workout, replace your running shoes if they’re older than six months and exercise on a more forgiving surface, such as grass or an indoor running track.
[Sources:]
medlineplus.gov, medlineplus.gov, medlineplus.gov, moveforwardpt.com, nsc.org, orthoinfo.aaos.org, orthoinfo.aaos.org, ucop.edu