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TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Feature Article- Pay Attention to Pain and Soreness
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ARTICLE:
Pay Attention to Pain and Soreness
By Chad Tackett
When any workout or specific exercise causes you pain, pay
attention. Knowing how to react can help you avoid a serious
injury. Strength training can cause several types of pain including:
Muscle Soreness
When you use muscles you have not used for a while or try a
new exercise or training technique, it is normal to feel a dull
ache of soreness in the muscles that were trained. This pain
is caused by microscopic tears in the fibers of the connective
tissues in your body--the ligaments that connect bones to
other bones, and the tendons that connect muscles to bones.
This microtrauma may sound harmful but is in fact the natural
response of your muscles when they experience work. This
is the primary reason it is so important that you get enough
rest between specific muscle workouts. Each time you work
out with weights, you cause this "damage"--these tiny tears in
your muscles; they need ample resting time to rebuild and
become even stronger, bigger, and more firm.
Pain During or Just After a Workout
During a workout, repeated contractions cause lactic and
other acids, as well as proteins and hormones, to build up
in muscle tissue. This can cause pain even without injury.
But if you experience a sharp, continuous pain, or pain
accompanied by a burning sensation, stop lifting and get it
checked.
Cramps
These happen when muscles, often in the calves or feet, knot
up in intense contractions. Cramps occur most commonly
in endurance sports like cycling and running, where the athlete
loses a lot of fluids through sweating. This is why it's very
important to stay well-hydrated during exercise. If you do
get cramps, the best way to stop them is to gently stretch the
cramped muscle.
Injury
When working out with weights you need to be in full control
of both the weights and your own body as it lifts and uses the
weights. Careless weightlifting can result in injury. Not warming
up, attempting to lift too heavy a weight, using momentum or
jerky movements, letting the weights drop, not using correct form,
or forgetting to stretch or cool-down after your workout can
indeed result in injury.
The following injuries can occur as a result of carelessness:
1.Tendonitis: This is inflammation of the tendon and can occur if
you begin your first set with too heavy a weight and/or are not
properly warmed-up. Rest is the best treatment for this painful
injury.
2.Fascia injuries: Can occur if you suddenly jerk or pull the
weight. Fascia is basically the packaging tissue of muscle.
When fascia is torn, it becomes inflamed and the pain is severe.
The injury should be treated with cold packs and wrapped with
an ace bandage.
3.Ligament injuries: Can occur when people use momentum and
jerk the weight to accomplish a lift. This injury is treated by
using cold packs and rest.
4.Sprains or muscle tears: Are uncommon if you warm-up,
stretch, and cool-down properly and implement the safety
precautions and principles we teach.
Any time you do have inflammation or swelling, use the R.I.C.E
method of reducing damage and speeding healing. For injuries,
R.I.C.E. is nice.
1.Rest: When you are hurt, stop your workout immediately and
take weight off the affected area.
2.Ice: Wrap ice in a towel and hold it against the injury for 10
to 20 minutes, three or four times a day until the acute injury
diminishes.
3.Compress: Wrap the injured area in a snug, but not tight,
elastic bandage.
4.Elevate: Raise the injured limb and rest it on a pillow to
reduce swelling.
Strength training provides many important benefits that cannot
be achieved by any other exercise or activity. However, when
enjoying this great form of exercise, be sure to pay attention to
pain and soreness so that your program is not only effective,
but safe as well. Good luck: I hope you enjoy all the wonderful
benefits of a safe and effective strength training program.
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