Week Three: "Get It Together Girl"

OK, folks week three started off wonderfully!  I started a spinning class and called myself doing everything the right way.  However, I decided to race with some kids and pulled a muscle in my thigh.  Needless to say, I am unable to do any physical activity.  booooo, old age!

Although I'm on the road to 50, a muscle strain is a common injury, particularly among people who participate in sports. (or use to..lol) The thigh has three sets of strong muscles: the hamstring muscles in the back of the thigh, the quadriceps muscles in the front, and the abductor muscles on the inside. The quadriceps muscles and hamstring muscles work together to straighten (extend) and bend (flex) the leg. The abductor muscles pull the legs together.  What did I strain?  My quadriceps muscle.  How in the world did this happen to me?  RACING! The quadriceps is also used for high-speed activities, such as track and field events (running, hurdles, long jump), football, basketball, and soccer.

Sadly to say, once a muscle strain occurs, the muscle is vulnerable to being re-injured; therefore, it is important to let the muscle heal properly and to follow preventive protocols.

Most muscle strains can be treated with the RICE protocol. RICE stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.

• Rest. Take a break from the activity that caused the strain. Your physician may recommend that you use crutches to avoid putting weight on the leg.
• Ice. Do not apply ice directly to the skin. Use cold packs for 20 minutes at a time, several times a day.
• Compression. To prevent additional swelling and blood loss, wear an elastic compression bandage.
• Elevation. To minimize swelling, keep your leg up higher than your heart.

Could I have prevented this injury? Of course!  A proper warm-up increases range of motion and reduces stiffness.

• Warm up before any exercise session or sports activity, including practice. This will help increase your speed and endurance.
• Stretch slowly and gradually, holding each stretch to give the muscle time to respond and lengthen. You can find examples of stretching exercises on this website or ask your physician or coach for help in developing a routine.
• Condition your muscles with a regular program of exercises. You can ask your physician about exercise programs for people of your age and activity level.
• If you are injured, take the time needed to let the muscle heal before you return to sports. Wait until your muscle strength and flexibility return to pre-injury levels. This can take 10 days to 3 weeks for a mild strain, and up to 6 months for a severe strain, such as a hamstring strain.

All of this has taught me that I'm certainly not as young as I use to be and warming up is ESSENTIAL to keeping my body healthy while preparing for this 5k. 

Until next week - take care of yourself!

Sharon Patrice Simply Perfect Peace Events, Inc. and Designs by Shay, the Blog "My Journey, My Way, My LIFESTYLE ~ Celebrating Love, Laughter and Everything in Between..." You or your brand interested in a review? Getting married or having a social event and need assistance? Email Me For All Your Event Planning Needs.

OK, folks week three started off wonderfully!  I started a spinning class and called myself doing everything the right way.  However, I decided to race with some kids and pulled a muscle in my thigh.  Needless to say, I am unable to do any physical activity.  booooo, old age!

Although I'm on the road to 50, a muscle strain is a common injury, particularly among people who participate in sports. (or use to..lol) The thigh has three sets of strong muscles: the hamstring muscles in the back of the thigh, the quadriceps muscles in the front, and the abductor muscles on the inside. The quadriceps muscles and hamstring muscles work together to straighten (extend) and bend (flex) the leg. The abductor muscles pull the legs together.  What did I strain?  My quadriceps muscle.  How in the world did this happen to me?  RACING! The quadriceps is also used for high-speed activities, such as track and field events (running, hurdles, long jump), football, basketball, and soccer.

Sadly to say, once a muscle strain occurs, the muscle is vulnerable to being re-injured; therefore, it is important to let the muscle heal properly and to follow preventive protocols.

Most muscle strains can be treated with the RICE protocol. RICE stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation.

• Rest. Take a break from the activity that caused the strain. Your physician may recommend that you use crutches to avoid putting weight on the leg.
• Ice. Do not apply ice directly to the skin. Use cold packs for 20 minutes at a time, several times a day.
• Compression. To prevent additional swelling and blood loss, wear an elastic compression bandage.
• Elevation. To minimize swelling, keep your leg up higher than your heart.

Could I have prevented this injury? Of course!  A proper warm-up increases range of motion and reduces stiffness.

• Warm up before any exercise session or sports activity, including practice. This will help increase your speed and endurance.
• Stretch slowly and gradually, holding each stretch to give the muscle time to respond and lengthen. You can find examples of stretching exercises on this website or ask your physician or coach for help in developing a routine.
• Condition your muscles with a regular program of exercises. You can ask your physician about exercise programs for people of your age and activity level.
• If you are injured, take the time needed to let the muscle heal before you return to sports. Wait until your muscle strength and flexibility return to pre-injury levels. This can take 10 days to 3 weeks for a mild strain, and up to 6 months for a severe strain, such as a hamstring strain.

All of this has taught me that I'm certainly not as young as I use to be and warming up is ESSENTIAL to keeping my body healthy while preparing for this 5k. 

Until next week - take care of yourself!

Sharon Patrice Simply Perfect Peace Events, Inc. and Designs by Shay, the Blog "My Journey, My Way, My LIFESTYLE ~ Celebrating Love, Laughter and Everything in Between..." You or your brand interested in a review? Getting married or having a social event and need assistance? Email Me For All Your Event Planning Needs.