Stay Healthy!

At FitWit, we work hard, and sometimes that hard work can lead to pulls, strains and sprains that put us on the sideline for a few days. However, there are several things we can do to help prevent injuries:

• Warm up properly. Dynamic warm-up isn’t always fun, but it’s vital, and it becomes more important as the temperatures drop. You can’t ask your muscles to exert max effort if they’re not properly warmed up. So, take our warm-up seriously. Build up your effort as we progress through the routine so that you have a good sweat built up before we start the actual workout. Showing up to camp late decreases your warm-up time and leaves you more susceptible to injury.
• Perform exercises properly - even when no one’s watching. We work hard to demonstrate proper form, and even though we can’t all perform perfect reps every time, we should all know how to do the exercise properly. Technique improvements take time, and that’s okay, but we get in trouble when we sacrifice form just to get the workout done faster. This also means not progressing to the more advanced version of an exercise until you become a virtuoso at the fundamental exercises. Don’t be afraid to stay after class or come early to work some one-on-one technique with the trainers.
• Stretch! Though we only allot a few minutes at the end of our workouts for stretching, this doesn’t mean we don’t value it. You should be stretching for 15 minutes on your own after the workout. This is a good time to work on your flexibility, which ultimately makes you a better athlete.
• Stay hydrated. When your muscles aren’t properly hydrated, you are more prone to cramps, pulls and strains.
• Don’t over-train. We do recommend doing a fifth-day home workout, but some of us have a tendency to overdo it. Your body needs those two off-days to rest and recover. If you absolutely must get in some extra running (ex: preparing for a marathon), we recommend working out 5 days one week and 6 days the next.
• Ice as a preventative measure. If you know that your knees/back/shoulders have been an issue in the past or are weak, use an ice pack on that area for 15 minutes following a workout.

That said, even the most well-conditioned athletes in the world get injured on occasion. Injuries are an unfortunate consequence of fitness, and for the large majority of us, we’ll encounter them somewhere along our fitness journey.

If you do sustain an injury, please inform the trainers and consider these steps:

R.I.C.E. – Rest – Ice – Compression - Elevation

Rest - you may have to take a few days off camp or do modified exercises until you heal. You need to rest in order to protect yourself from further injury and so your body has the energy to heal itself.

Ice- this provides short-term relief and limits the swelling (15 minutes on, 15 minutes off)

Compression – this limits the swelling as well in order to speed up the healing. Wrap an ACE bandage around the injured area is an easy way to compress.

Elevation – again, this is another way to reduce swelling and therefore speed up the healing process.

If after a few days, the pain has not subsided, it may be time to see a doctor.

Dr. Edward Schneider, a 6 A.M. camper and chiropractor in East Altanta, provided the following advice regarding a common issue with campers – knee pain:

Since starting Fit Wit in early summer 2006, I have treated many campers with their variety of sports injuries. Overwhelmingly, the number one physical complaint has been knee pains. Most of these knee issues have been with first-time campers, after the first two-to-three weeks.

The knee is the primary shock absorber of the body. When walking or running, notice that the knees absorb most of the impact coming from the ground. Knees are also known to be the number one arthritic joint in the body as people age. When beginning FitWit for the first time, many new campers have leg and thigh muscles that are “de-conditioned”, putting more stress and strain on the knee. Therefore, it is important that the camper address their knee pain immediately to prevent things from getting worse over the following weeks.

Typically, the camper commonly has pain in one or more of the following areas:

• Pain under or around the kneecap, worse with walking stairs (Patellofemoral pain syndrome)
• Pain below the kneecap, felt when running or jumping (Patellar Tendinitis)
• Lateral or outside portion of the knee or lower thigh (Iliotibial Band Syndrome)

Although plenty of other knee problems exist, these above are the most common in campers. When someone presents in our office with these conditions, treatment is usually prescribed in this fashion:

1. Relief Care (7 to 10 days): Emphasis on reduction of pain and inflammation. Physiotherapy techniques are used to reduce symptoms and increase pain-free range of motion. Special attention is given to assure the individual has proper supportive footwear.
2. Rehabilitative Care: Knee brace may be prescribed for the condition, depending on the type of injury. Specific exercise and stretching program is given to the patient. Exercises emphasize strengthening the weaker muscles of the thighs.

Rehabilitative exercises are very different from “fitness exercises” that are preformed at FitWit. Slow and controlled movements are performed during rehabilitation. Smaller muscle groups are targeted with an emphasis on the weakest muscles. After the patient’s symptoms have been reduced and they have begun their rehabilitative program, they must continue their rehabilitation exercises in the upcoming weeks to prevent further injury.

Edward Schneider, DC

PSS Injury & Wellness Center

404-627-8998