Article featured on Healthline
Any kind of exercise is good for you, but working out in groups may give you a little extra boost.
Do you like to hit the gym, road, or trail by yourself?
Or do you thrive in a crowded group fitness class with everyone breathing, moving, and toning in sync?
No matter what kind of exercise you gravitate toward, there’s no downside to staying physically active — especially with so many Americans falling shortTrusted Source of national exercise guidelines.
But research suggests that if you’re a loner when it comes to exercise, you might be missing out on some health benefits from group workouts.
Group versus solo workouts
Exercise is already known to have many benefits for mental healthTrusted Source, including improving sleep and mood, boosting sex drive, and increasing energy levels and mental alertness.
In a new study, researchers looked at whether group exercise could help medical students, a high-stress group that could probably use regular workouts.
For the research, 69 medical students joined one of three exercise groups.
One group did a 30-minute group core strengthening and functional fitness training program at least once a week, along with extra exercise if they wanted.
Another group were solo exercisers, who worked out on their own or with up to two partners at least twice a week.
In the final group, students didn’t do any exercise other than walking or biking to get where they needed to go.
The researchers measured students’ perceived stress levels and quality of life — mental, physical, and emotional — at the start of the study and every four weeks.
All of the students started the study at about the same level for these mental health measures.
After 12 weeks, group exercisers saw improvements in all three types of quality of life, as well as a drop in their stress levels.
In comparison, solo exercisers only improved on mental quality of life — even though they exercised about an hour more each week than the group exercisers.
For the control group, neither stress level nor quality of life changed that much by the end of the study.
The study has some limitations, including its small size and inclusion of only medical students.
Students were also allowed to choose their own exercise group, so there may be physical or personality differences between group and solo exercisers that could affect the results.
So, the results should be viewed with caution. But the research hints at the power of working out together.
The study was published in the November issue of The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association.
Working out in sync
Other research has focused on the impact of group exercise — specifically working out in sync — on social bonding, pain tolerance, and athletic performance.
In a 2013 study in the International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, researchers recruited people to work out for 45 minutes on rowing machines.
After the session, people who had rowed in groups — and synchronized their movements — had a higher pain tolerance compared to solo rowers. Pain tolerance increased whether people were rowing with teammates or with strangers.
Researchers think the increased tolerance to pain may stem from a greater release of endorphins — the “feel good” hormones — due to people getting in sync with one another while exercising.
This kind of coordinated movement is known as behavioral synchrony. It can also occur during other group activities, such as play, religious rituals, and dance.
It may also boost your performance, especially if you’re already close to other people in the group.
In a 2015 studyTrusted Source in PLoS ONE, researchers found that rugby players who coordinated their movements while warming up performed better on a follow-up endurance test.
These athletes were already part of a close-knit rugby team. Researchers think the synchronized movements during the warm-up reinforced the existing social bonds between them.
The researchers write that this “may have changed athlete’s perception of the pain and discomfort associated with fatigue … This allowed participants to push harder and perform better.”
So when you’re surrounded by other cyclists spinning in sync to steady beats, or CXWORXing like it’s a coordinated dance, you may be able to tap into the power of synchrony.
Or not.
Not all group classes created equal
Paul Estabrooks, PhD, a behavioral health professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, found that “exercise context” shapes how much effect exercise has on quality of life, social interactions, physical benefits, and people sticking with their workouts.
In a 2006 review in Sport and Exercise Psychology Review, Estabrooks and his colleagues looked at 44 previous studies that compared the benefits from different exercise contexts.
The contexts included the following: home workouts, either alone or with contact from a health professional; standard exercise classes; and “true group” classes, where special techniques were used to increase social bonding among people in the class.
True group classes provided the most benefits.
Standard exercise classes — without the added bonding — were similar to at-home exercise with help.
Working out alone at home came in last.
In general, the more contact or social support that people had during exercise — from researchers, health professionals, or other exercise participants — the greater the benefits.
Estabrooks told Healthline that “group-based fitness classes are typically only more effective when they use group dynamics strategies.”
This includes setting group goals, sharing feedback, talking with other people in the class, using friendly competition, and incorporating “activities to help people feel like they are part of something — a sense of distinctiveness.”
You may not find this in every exercise class.
“This usually isn’t the case in most group-based fitness classes,” said Estabrooks, “where folks show up, follow an instructor, don’t talk much to one another, and then leave.”
Although group fitness classes may offer extra benefits, not everyone is a spin, body sculpt, or power yoga class kind of person.
One study found that extraverts were more likely to prefer group-based and high-intensity physical activities, compared to introverts.
No big shock there.
I’m an introvert and teach group yoga classes. But I almost never take group classes myself.
I prefer to practice on my own at home. For me, yoga is about solitude and going inward — spoken like a true introvert.
For others, though, yoga could be more about community and social bonding.
In the end, staying active is better for you than being sedentary.
So find some physical activity that you love to do and stick with it — whether it’s packing yourself into a sweaty fitness class or backpacking solo in the wilderness.
Are Rest Days Important for Exercise?
in Health & Wellness, PreventionArticle featured on Healthline
We’re always told to stay active and get regular exercise. But whether you’re training for a competition or feeling extra motivated, more isn’t always better.
Rest days are just as important as exercise. A successful fitness regimen isn’t complete without rest days.
Taking regular breaks allows your body to recover and repair. It’s a critical part of progress, regardless of your fitness level or sport. Otherwise, skipping rest days can lead to overtraining or burnout.
Plus, your muscles need glycogen to function, even when you’re not working out. By getting adequate rest, you’ll prevent fatigue by letting your glycogen stores refill.
3. Reduces risk of injury
Regular rest is essential for staying safe during exercise. When your body is overworked, you’ll be more likely to fall out of form, drop a weight, or take a wrong step.
Overtraining also exposes your muscles to repetitive stress and strain. This increases the risk of overuse injuries, forcing you to take more rest days than planned.
4. Improves performance
When you don’t get enough rest, it can be hard to do your normal routine, let alone challenge yourself. For example, you might be less motivated to do an extra rep or run another mile.
Even if you push yourself, overtraining decreases your performance. You may experience reduced endurance, slow reaction times, and poor agility.
Rest has the opposite effect. It increases energy and prevents fatigue, which prepares your body for consistently successful workouts.
5. Supports healthy sleep
While regular exercise can improve your sleep, taking rest days is also helpful.
Physical activity increases energy-boosting hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. Constant exercise, however, overproduces these hormones. You’ll have a hard time getting quality sleep, which only worsens fatigue and exhaustion.
Rest can help you get better sleep by letting your hormones return to a normal, balanced state.
How to do rest days right
The ideal rest day looks different for each person. It depends on the intensity and frequency of your normal routine, along with your lifestyle outside of exercise.
However, there are general guidelines for incorporating rest days in various workouts.
Cardio
Typically, rest days aren’t necessary for light cardio. This includes activities like leisurely walking or slow dancing. It’s safe enough to do every day, unless your doctor says otherwise.
But if you’re doing moderate or vigorous aerobic activity, rest days are essential. It’s recommended to take a rest day every three to five days. If you do vigorous cardio, you’ll want to take more frequent rest days.
You can also have an active rest day by doing a light workout, like gentle stretching.
To determine when you should rest, consider the recommendations for aerobic activity. Each week, adults should get 150 to 300 minutes of moderate activity or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous activity. You can also do a combination of moderate and vigorous activity.
These guidelines can help you plan your rest days. For example, if you’d like to do three days of 50-minute vigorous cardio sessions, you can plan rest days and other workouts around them.
Running
While running is a form of cardio, it usually requires a different approach to rest days.
If you’re a beginner, start running three days a week. Running too much too soon can lead to fatigue and overuse injuries.
On the other days, let yourself rest or do different activities. Your other workouts should involve muscles you don’t use while running.
Rest days are even more important if you’re training for a marathon. In the last three weeks before the event, it’s best to rest more often. A personal trainer or running coach can explain how to rest based on your goals.
Bodybuilding
Bodybuilding, or weight training, incorporates rest days by rotating the muscles worked.
After exercising a specific muscle group, let it rest for one to two days. This gives your muscles a chance to repair and heal.
On the other days, train different muscles. Be sure to work opposing muscles to keep your body balanced.
One way to do rest days is to assign a day for each body part. For instance, Monday can be leg day, Tuesday can be chest day, and so on.
For weight loss
If you’re trying to lose weight, you should still have regular rest days.
Rest allows your muscles to rebuild and grow. And when you have more muscle, you’ll burn more calories at rest. That’s because muscle burns more energy than fat.
Additionally, when you feel refreshed, you’ll be more likely to stick to your exercise routine.
The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, foot and ankle conditions, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.
Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.
Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.
If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic and podiatric surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.
Phone:
503-224-8399
Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209
Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm
Guide to Hip Pain Relief & Treatment Options
in Hip Conditions, Hip Replacement, Recovery, UncategorizedArticle featured on Orthopedic Institute of Pennsylvania
Hip pain and discomfort might be caused by a minor strain or could be due to a chronic condition. Whatever the cause, hip pain can impact your quality of life and keep you from doing the activities you love. To effectively treat your hip pain, you’ll want to know its causes. From there, you can work out how to address the pain and decide if it’s necessary to see a doctor.
This guide to causes and hip pain solutions can help you determine how to get the relief you need.
Causes and Symptoms of Hip Pain
Hip pain can result from the following conditions and causes:
Arthritis
Different kinds of arthritis can cause hip pain. For example, osteoarthritis, common in older adults, is the result of wear and tear. Inflammatory arthritis can affect people of any age and cause a wide range of symptoms, including hip pain.
The symptoms of arthritis affecting the hips can vary. Some people experience a dull aching pain that spreads to other areas of the body, such as the groin, buttocks or thighs. Other people may experience severe pain that limits their range of motion and makes it difficult to walk.
Bursitis
Bursae are small fluid-filled sacs located in various areas of the body, including the hip. Their job is to reduce friction, but sometimes these sacs become inflamed in the case of a condition called bursitis. Bursitis typically causes pain in the hip, but over time it can cause a dull, aching pain to spread to the thigh.
Tendonitis
Tendons are tough fibers that connect muscles to bones throughout your body. When these tendons become inflamed, the condition is referred to as tendonitis. Tendonitis in the hip can cause swelling, affect movement and create a grating sensation when you walk.
Hip Dysplasia
Hip dysplasia is a condition in which the bones of the hip joint are misaligned, leading to the joints wearing out faster than they would if properly aligned. The condition can affect children, adolescents and adults. As the joint wears out, you can experience stiffness and pain.
Injury
Injuries to the hip can also result in pain. A fracture, dislocation or labral tear are among the potential injuries to the hip point. A fracture might be the result of a fall and is common among older people. Hip dislocation occurs when the femur slips out of the hip socket, which may happen as the result of a fall or a car accident. The labrum is a ring of cartilage that helps to cushion the hip joint. A labral tear is a common sports injury.
Pain Treatments and Remedies for Hip Pain
Some conditions causing hip pain can be treated and resolved at home, while others require medical intervention. Some of the common remedies for hip joint pain include:
When You Should See a Doctor
Hip pain might be a minor inconvenience that resolves over time, or it could be the result of a more serious condition that requires treatment. It might be time to see a doctor if you experience:
The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, foot and ankle conditions, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.
Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.
Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.
If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic and podiatric surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.
Phone:
503-224-8399
Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209
Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm
Good and Bad Exercises for Low Back Pain
in Back PainArticle featured on WebMD
Lower Back Pain: How Exercise Helps
You may feel like resting, but moving is good for your back. Exercises for lower back pain can strengthen back, stomach, and leg muscles. They help support your spine, relieving back pain. Always ask your health care professional before doing any exercise for back pain. Depending on the cause and intensity of your pain, some exercises may not be recommended and can be harmful.
Avoid: Toe Touches
Exercise is good for low back pain — but not all exercises are beneficial. Any mild discomfort felt at the start of these exercises should disappear as muscles become stronger. But if pain is more than mild and lasts more than 15 minutes during exercise, patients should stop exercising and contact a doctor. Some exercises may aggravate pain. Standing toe touches, for example, put greater stress on the disks and ligaments in your spine. They can also overstretch lower back muscles and hamstrings.
Try: Partial Crunches
Some exercises can aggravate back pain and should be avoided when you have acute low back pain. Partial crunches can help strengthen your back and stomach muscles. Lie with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Cross arms over your chest or put hands behind your neck. Tighten stomach muscles and raise your shoulders off the floor. Breathe out as you raise your shoulders. Don’t lead with your elbows or use arms to pull your neck off the floor. Hold for a second, then slowly lower back down. Repeat 8 to 12 times. Proper form prevents excessive stress on your low back. Your feet, tailbone, and lower back should remain in contact with the mat at all times.
Avoid: Sit-ups
Although you might think sit-ups can strengthen your core or abdominal muscles, most people tend to use muscles in the hips when doing sit-ups. Sit-ups may also put a lot of pressure on the discs in your spine.
Try: Hamstring Stretches
Lie on your back and bend one knee. Loop a towel under the ball of your foot. Straighten your knee and slowly pull back on the towel. You should feel a gentle stretch down the back of your leg. Hold for at least 15 to 30 seconds. Do 2 to 4 times for each leg.
Avoid: Leg Lifts
Leg lifts are sometimes suggested as an exercise to “strengthen your core” or abdominal muscles. Exercising to restore strength to your lower back can be very helpful in relieving pain yet lifting both legs together while lying on your back is very demanding on your core. If weak, this exercise can make back pain worse. Instead, try lying on your back with one leg straight and the other leg bent at the knee. Keeping your lower back flat on floor. Slowly lift the straight leg up about 6 inches and hold briefly. Lower leg slowly. Repeat 10 times, then switch legs.
Try: Wall Sits
Stand 10 to 12 inches from the wall, then lean back until your back is flat against the wall. Slowly slide down until your knees are slightly bent, pressing your lower back into the wall. Hold for a count of 10, then carefully slide back up the wall. Repeat 8 to 12 times.
Try: Press-up Back Extensions
Lie on your stomach with your hands under your shoulders. Push with your hands so your shoulders begin to lift off the floor. If it’s comfortable for you, put your elbows on the floor directly under your shoulders and hold this position for several seconds.
Try: Bird Dog
Start on your hands and knees, and tighten your stomach muscles. Lift and extend one leg behind you. Keep hips level. Hold for 5 seconds, and then switch to the other leg. Repeat 8 to 12 times for each leg, and try to lengthen the time you hold each lift. Try lifting and extending your opposite arm for each repetition. This exercise is a great way to learn how to stabilize the low back during movement of the arms and legs. While doing this exercise don’t let the lower back muscles sag. Only raise the limbs to heights where the low back position can be maintained.
Try: Knee to Chest
Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Bring one knee to your chest, keeping the other foot flat on the floor. Keep your lower back pressed to the floor, and hold for 15 to 30 seconds. Then lower your knee and repeat with the other leg. Do this 2 to 4 times for each leg.
Try: Pelvic Tilts
Lie on your back with knees bent, feet flat on floor. Tighten your stomach by contracting it as though you were preparing for a punch. You’ll feel your back pressing into the floor, and your hips and pelvis rocking back. Hold for 10 seconds while breathing in and out smoothly. Repeat 8 to 12 times.
Try: Bridging
Lie on your back with knees bent and just your heels on the floor. Push your heels into the floor, squeeze your buttocks, and lift your hips off the floor until shoulders, hips, and knees are in a straight line. Hold about 6 seconds, and then slowly lower hips to the floor and rest for 10 seconds. Repeat 8 to 12 times. Avoid arching your lower back as your hips move upward. Avoid overarching by tightening your abdominal muscles prior and throughout the lift.
Lifting Weights May Help
Done properly, lifting weights doesn’t usually hurt your back. In fact, it may help relieve chronic back pain. But when you have acute (sudden) back pain, putting extra stress on back muscles and ligaments could raise risk of further injury. Ask your doctor whether you should lift weights, and which exercises to avoid.
Try: Aerobic Exercise
Aerobic exercise strengthens your lungs, heart, and blood vessels and can help you lose weight. Walking, swimming, and biking may all help reduce back pain. Start with short sessions and build up over time. If your back is hurting, try swimming, where the water supports your body. Avoid any strokes that twist your body.
Try: Some Pilates Moves
Pilates combines stretching, strengthening, and core abdominal exercises. Under the instruction of an experienced teacher, it may help some people with back pain. Be sure to tell your teacher about your back pain, because you may need to skip some moves. For further reading, here are more back exercises for women.
The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, foot and ankle conditions, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.
Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.
Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.
If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic and podiatric surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.
Phone:
503-224-8399
Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209
Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm
How Can I Prevent Common Exercise Injuries?
in Health & Wellness, Sports Related Injuries, Wellness TipsArticle featured on Mass General Brigham
Sports and exercise have indisputable benefits: stronger bones and muscles, reduced risk of many diseases, improved mental health and mood, socialization, fun — and more. But they also come with the risk of injury.
“Realistically speaking, we can’t completely prevent injury. If we start to focus on mitigating our risk of injury, we have a better pathway for success,” says Dave Granito, MS, ATC, director of recovery and injury prevention at Mass General Brigham’s Center for Sports Performance and Research. “The way we do that is to look at things that might lead to injury. Then we try to adjust certain factors to keep the risk low.”
Granito is a former athletic trainer for professional football teams, including the New York Giants, New England Patriots, and Detroit Lions. He offers several tips for people at all levels of fitness who are interested in preventing injury.
Get professional advice.
It’s important to visit your doctor before you start a new activity, and as you ramp up. “They can examine you, look at how you move and say, ‘These are some of the things we need to do before you get there,’” Granito says. Your provider might recommend weight loss, offer nutrition advice, address underlying health issues, and treat previous injuries.
Other professionals you can consult include:
Assess your movement.
The number one reason people get hurt is because they continuously repeat bad movement, Granito says. If you run, do you sit back in your stance or lean forward? How do your legs move? If you row or play a throwing sport, are your movements sequenced and timed properly so you don’t overstress one area of the body? The more you repeat a bad movement, the higher the risk for injury.
Think of a car with wheels out of alignment: You may be able to drive for a while without noticing a problem. But if you drive thousands of miles like that, you’ll damage the car.
Granito recommends that you research proper form for the activities you do and then think critically about your own form. If you’re uncertain, consult an expert for an objective assessment of your movements.
Ease into your goal.
Whether you’re a weekend warrior aiming to stay active or a high-level athlete chasing a championship, goals take time to achieve.
“If a person doesn’t take time to build up to longer workouts or higher levels of intensity, their body won’t be ready to handle the demand, and that can cause injury,” Granito says.
For example, when planning to run a race, consider how far you’ve run before and your overall cardiovascular fitness. If 3 miles is the furthest you’ve ever run, choose a shorter race as your first goal. Or realistically calculate how to gradually build from 3 miles to a longer distance. If you simply want to start playing basketball or pickleball on the weekends, start with shorter or fewer games.
Warm up and cool down.
Before every workout, you have to get your body ready. In particular, powerful, explosive movements such as jumps and sprints can cause injury if tissues are not warm and elastic.
“Warming up increases blood flow, and blood flow makes tissues more elastic,” Granito says. “Instead of a time-based guideline for a warm-up, I recommend warming up until you start to sweat.”
Before beginning a workout, he has athletes:
After activity, Granito recommends doing your warm-up routine in the opposite order to slowly bring your body back to pre-exercise levels.
Cross-training for injury prevention
Cross-training helps prevent overuse injuries in athletes who consistently put a lot of stress on a particular part of the body. For example, runners can bike to improve aerobic capacity without putting stress on the knees and ankles. Similarly, cyclists can swim, and throwing athletes can take a few days off from throwing to lift weights.
“In terms of mitigating injury risk, cross-training is a great way to take stress off of the parts that you’re trying to rest while still making progress,” Granito says. “It’s especially helpful in people who really focus on one sport.”
Strengthen your core.
The core is the foundation of almost all athletic movement. “Most people think of core strength as just their abs. But the core is essentially everything from our knees to our nipples in the front and from the back of our knees to our shoulder blades in the back,” Granito says.
A weak core forces you to use other parts of your body with more force, which can cause an injury. Imagine a tennis player with a core that’s not strong enough to hit the ball forcefully. They may try to draw more power from their hips, shoulder, or elbow, which can hurt the joints or surrounding muscles and tendons.
Rest and recover.
When we exercise, we create tiny tears in our muscles. It’s important to allow those tissues to recover. Rest or low-level activity helps your muscles heal and allows your body to eliminate waste and byproducts created during exercise.
“If you don’t recover well from one day to the next, then your effectiveness the next day goes down. And if we continue that day after day, not recovering between workouts, you increase your injury risk,” he says.
A rest period doesn’t mean being completely inactive. You can do low-impact activities, such as walking and swimming, and incorporate stretching to prevent injury and increase flexibility. Good sleep habits and nutrition are also important to rest and recovery.
The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, foot and ankle conditions, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.
Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.
Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.
If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic and podiatric surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.
Phone:
503-224-8399
Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209
Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm
Injuries in Autumn to Watch Out For
in Health & WellnessArticle featured on Central Orthopedic Group
Autumn- a time for family, a time for activities!
The air has finally cooled and the Long Island humidity is slowly dissipating. It’s almost time for warm cider as we sit around firepits and revel in the crisp evening air. In old times, the harvest would be upon us. Although most of us aren’t spending our days plucking the bounty in the fields, Autumn brings about an increase in physical activity for many of us, sometimes we don’t even realize it!
Autumn Activities
Pumpkin farms, gardening, baking, and raking leaves. These joy bringing activities, unfortunately, can be injuries waiting to happen.
Lifting, Bending & Running Injuries
1) Strains
A strain occurs to muscles and tendons. It is commonly known as a pulled muscle. Tendons are connective tissues that attach muscle to bone. The exertion placed on a specific area can cause microscopic tears in the tissue. Subsequently, strains can be very painful. Bending, lifting, and jerking motions without the use of proper body mechanics can cause strains. Raking leaves and picking up heavy pumpkins or gourds are all common causes of strains. Pain or tenderness, weakness, redness, swelling, or muscle spasms may all be indicative of a strain.
There are many different orthopedic methods for treating strains- both surgical and nonsurgical. Rest is imperative, cold therapy and light stretching may help as well. An increase in blood flow will aid the injured tissue in healing. For this reason, gentle movement will help.
2) Sprains
Sprains, on the other hand, are tearing or stretching of ligaments. Ligaments are fibrous pieces of connective tissue that connect two bones together. When overstretching or overexerting happens, sprains occur. Similar to strains, signs, and symptoms of sprains include redness, swelling, pain, and decreased mobility. On the other hand bruising may also occur. Oftentimes clients report hearing a popping sound when the injury occurs. Gardening is a leading cause of sprains. It is important to make sure your space is uncluttered and it is clear when you get up from kneeling. A trip over a plant can cause a fall which can lead to trauma on the joint causing a Sprain.
Treatment of sprains may be as simple as casting or splinting the affected area. Surgery may be required though. Noninvasive treatment of sprains is common. Therefore, rest, ice, compression to treat swelling and elevation can alleviate pain experienced with sprains.
3) Stress Fractures
You may find yourself out walking or running more often because the weather has cooled. Overuse is one of the most common causes of running injuries. Stress fractures can occur with repeated and continuous stress on the bones. High impact activity like running on hard surfaces causes repetitive blows to the bones of the foot, ankle, and leg. So, the connective tissues in the body become fatigued. They are unable to aid in absorbing shock the way they need to. Symptoms of stress fractures include pain upon use that subsides with rest and swelling or aching at the injury site.
An x-ray assesses and diagnosis the injury. A comprehensive treatment plan will then be created. A brace or splint may be required and rest is always recommended. As a result, avoidance of weight-bearing activity may also be necessary. Surgical intervention may be warranted in severe cases where the fracture persists or worsens. Orthopedic surgical care may include screws, pins, or plates to aid in the healing of the fracture.
The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, foot and ankle conditions, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.
Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.
Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.
If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic and podiatric surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.
Phone:
503-224-8399
Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209
Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm
5 Signs You Should See a Joint Replacement Specialist
in Joint Pain, Joint ReplacementArticle featured on Northwest Extremity Specialists
What Are the Most Common Joint Replacements?
Orthopedic specialists perform hip replacements and knee replacements more than any other kind. Typically, joints found in the legs get the most wear and tear over a lifetime, so it makes sense that replacing worn-out or damaged ones occurs frequently. However, joint replacements can also involve the shoulders, elbows, wrists, and ankles.
Top Signs Joint Replacement May Be Right for You
In many cases, an appointment with a joint replacement specialist can set you on the path to regaining full range of motion, alleviating pain, and renewing your ability to take part in your favorite activities. No matter what joint is causing you trouble, there are five signs that indicate a strong need to make an appointment with a qualified joint replacement specialist as soon as possible.
1. Chronic Pain
Acute pain occurs with an injury or when you do extreme physical activity. It goes away quickly, and you can resume your everyday life with no problems. Chronic pain lingers. It becomes a constant and unwanted companion that gets in the way of true enjoyment. The issue may not go away when you stop whatever activity triggered it in the first place. Chronic orthopedic pain is the most important reason to consider joint replacement surgery because it is the most common and potentially disruptive to the rest of your life.
2. Deformation of the Joint
Although swelling may cause some deformation on a temporary basis, joints may also shift position permanently. For example, bowed or knocked knees (out-turned or in-turned joints) may indicate structural damage. Similar problems may also occur in other major joints like the shoulders or elbows. This is more commonly seen after traumatic injuries or with osteoarthritis diagnoses.
3. Limits to Motion or Physical Ability
Whether because of pain, swelling, or limited range of motion, joint pain sometimes stops you from taking part in your favorite activities. Athletes and fitness fanatics may experience greater disruption, but everyone deserves to walk their dog, play with their grandkids, or go shopping without issues. No one should have to give up everything they enjoy doing because of chronic or worsening joint symptoms.
4. Diagnosed Osteoarthritis
Many people go to a joint specialist or orthopedist after receiving a related diagnosis from their primary care doctor. Osteoarthritis, which is indicated by inflammation of the joints, is the most common one. Once you get to this point, knee or hip replacement becomes a highly beneficial option for most patients.
5. At-Home Treatments Do Not Provide Relief
Everyone gets sore sometimes, and an over-the-counter pain medication, heating pad, or ice pack can make you feel better again. However, when these become common activities instead of occasional treatments, it may become time to see a joint specialist. Also, if they no longer provide total relief, there are other options to explore with your doctor.
Now Is the Time to Take the First Steps Toward a Pain-Free Future
If your joint pain keeps getting worse over time, it makes no sense to wait longer than necessary. Do not linger in chronic pain, avoid your favorite activities, or struggle to enjoy a comfortable life. Things will only get more difficult and unpleasant the longer you wait to seek treatment.
The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, foot and ankle conditions, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.
Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.
Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.
If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic and podiatric surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.
Phone:
503-224-8399
Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209
Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm
Exercise and Back Pain
in Back PainArticle featured on Spine-Health
Back exercises are almost always necessary to rehabilitate the spine and alleviate back pain. A controlled, gradual exercise program that is tailored to an individual is usually the most effective.
While a typical response to back pain is to take it easy—either staying in bed or at least stopping any strenuous activity—resting for more than a day or two can actually undermine healing and worsen pain.
Benefits of Exercise
When done in a controlled, progressive manner, exercises for relieving back pain have many benefits, including:
A balanced workout should include a combination of stretching and strengthening, as well as aerobic exercise that elevates the heart rate.
Exercise as Prescription for Back Pain
An effective program of back exercises should be comprehensive, working the whole body even as it targets the back. Exercise can be thought of as any other health prescription: A qualified health professional will customize exercise based on a variety of factors. These factors typically include:
Maintaining the Exercise Program Over Time
Adherence to exercise is one of the most important factors for long term pain relief. However, maintaining exercise can be difficult for a variety of reasons, including worsened pain with activity, economic constraints, and low motivation. In one study, the most common reason for lack of adherence to exercise was increased pain caused by activity. When this is the case, an exercise professional can incorporate pain reduction and management as primary parts of the exercise program.
Personal preference also plays a role in adherence—for instance, if an exercise routine is too painful or not enjoyable, it is less likely to be done regularly enough to be effective.
The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, foot and ankle conditions, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.
Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.
Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.
If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic and podiatric surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.
Phone:
503-224-8399
Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209
Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm
People Who Exercise in Groups Get More Health Benefits
in Health & Wellness, Wellness TipsArticle featured on Healthline
Any kind of exercise is good for you, but working out in groups may give you a little extra boost.
Do you like to hit the gym, road, or trail by yourself?
Or do you thrive in a crowded group fitness class with everyone breathing, moving, and toning in sync?
No matter what kind of exercise you gravitate toward, there’s no downside to staying physically active — especially with so many Americans falling shortTrusted Source of national exercise guidelines.
But research suggests that if you’re a loner when it comes to exercise, you might be missing out on some health benefits from group workouts.
Group versus solo workouts
Exercise is already known to have many benefits for mental healthTrusted Source, including improving sleep and mood, boosting sex drive, and increasing energy levels and mental alertness.
In a new study, researchers looked at whether group exercise could help medical students, a high-stress group that could probably use regular workouts.
For the research, 69 medical students joined one of three exercise groups.
One group did a 30-minute group core strengthening and functional fitness training program at least once a week, along with extra exercise if they wanted.
Another group were solo exercisers, who worked out on their own or with up to two partners at least twice a week.
In the final group, students didn’t do any exercise other than walking or biking to get where they needed to go.
The researchers measured students’ perceived stress levels and quality of life — mental, physical, and emotional — at the start of the study and every four weeks.
All of the students started the study at about the same level for these mental health measures.
After 12 weeks, group exercisers saw improvements in all three types of quality of life, as well as a drop in their stress levels.
In comparison, solo exercisers only improved on mental quality of life — even though they exercised about an hour more each week than the group exercisers.
For the control group, neither stress level nor quality of life changed that much by the end of the study.
The study has some limitations, including its small size and inclusion of only medical students.
Students were also allowed to choose their own exercise group, so there may be physical or personality differences between group and solo exercisers that could affect the results.
So, the results should be viewed with caution. But the research hints at the power of working out together.
The study was published in the November issue of The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association.
Working out in sync
Other research has focused on the impact of group exercise — specifically working out in sync — on social bonding, pain tolerance, and athletic performance.
In a 2013 study in the International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, researchers recruited people to work out for 45 minutes on rowing machines.
After the session, people who had rowed in groups — and synchronized their movements — had a higher pain tolerance compared to solo rowers. Pain tolerance increased whether people were rowing with teammates or with strangers.
Researchers think the increased tolerance to pain may stem from a greater release of endorphins — the “feel good” hormones — due to people getting in sync with one another while exercising.
This kind of coordinated movement is known as behavioral synchrony. It can also occur during other group activities, such as play, religious rituals, and dance.
It may also boost your performance, especially if you’re already close to other people in the group.
In a 2015 studyTrusted Source in PLoS ONE, researchers found that rugby players who coordinated their movements while warming up performed better on a follow-up endurance test.
These athletes were already part of a close-knit rugby team. Researchers think the synchronized movements during the warm-up reinforced the existing social bonds between them.
The researchers write that this “may have changed athlete’s perception of the pain and discomfort associated with fatigue … This allowed participants to push harder and perform better.”
So when you’re surrounded by other cyclists spinning in sync to steady beats, or CXWORXing like it’s a coordinated dance, you may be able to tap into the power of synchrony.
Or not.
Not all group classes created equal
Paul Estabrooks, PhD, a behavioral health professor at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, found that “exercise context” shapes how much effect exercise has on quality of life, social interactions, physical benefits, and people sticking with their workouts.
In a 2006 review in Sport and Exercise Psychology Review, Estabrooks and his colleagues looked at 44 previous studies that compared the benefits from different exercise contexts.
The contexts included the following: home workouts, either alone or with contact from a health professional; standard exercise classes; and “true group” classes, where special techniques were used to increase social bonding among people in the class.
True group classes provided the most benefits.
Standard exercise classes — without the added bonding — were similar to at-home exercise with help.
Working out alone at home came in last.
In general, the more contact or social support that people had during exercise — from researchers, health professionals, or other exercise participants — the greater the benefits.
Estabrooks told Healthline that “group-based fitness classes are typically only more effective when they use group dynamics strategies.”
This includes setting group goals, sharing feedback, talking with other people in the class, using friendly competition, and incorporating “activities to help people feel like they are part of something — a sense of distinctiveness.”
You may not find this in every exercise class.
“This usually isn’t the case in most group-based fitness classes,” said Estabrooks, “where folks show up, follow an instructor, don’t talk much to one another, and then leave.”
Although group fitness classes may offer extra benefits, not everyone is a spin, body sculpt, or power yoga class kind of person.
One study found that extraverts were more likely to prefer group-based and high-intensity physical activities, compared to introverts.
No big shock there.
I’m an introvert and teach group yoga classes. But I almost never take group classes myself.
I prefer to practice on my own at home. For me, yoga is about solitude and going inward — spoken like a true introvert.
For others, though, yoga could be more about community and social bonding.
In the end, staying active is better for you than being sedentary.
So find some physical activity that you love to do and stick with it — whether it’s packing yourself into a sweaty fitness class or backpacking solo in the wilderness.
The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, foot and ankle conditions, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.
Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.
Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.
If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic and podiatric surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.
Phone:
503-224-8399
Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209
Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm
Give Praise to the Elbow: A Bending & Twisting Marvel
in Elbow InjuriesArticle featured on Harvard Health
I recently saw a car vanity plate that read “LBODOC” (as in elbow doc). The driver — probably an orthopedic doctor or arthritis specialist — was clearly a fan of the elbow, an unassuming joint and a surprisingly central player in many daily tasks. I could relate: throughout my medical career, the elbow has been my favorite joint.
Here’s why we should give praise to elbows and do all we can to protect them.
What if we didn’t have elbows?
Let’s face it: the human experience would be quite different without elbows.
Imagine your arm without a joint that bends at the elbow. You’d be unable to easily feed yourself, put on makeup, shave your face, or brush your teeth. It’d be tough to get dressed or throw a ball without elbows. And, importantly, wiping yourself after using the bathroom would be nearly impossible.
Yet, when it comes to joints and joint disease, we hear little about elbows; hips and knees get most of the attention. So, let’s consider for a moment what the lowly elbow does and why it deserves more credit.
How do your elbows work?
Three bones come together at the elbow joint: the humerus, which is in the upper arm, and two long bones called the ulna and radius in the lower arm.
Your elbow has two main motions:
Bumping your elbow: Why is it called the funny bone?
Probably for two reasons:
Elbow trouble: Four well-known problems — and a surprising fifth
Like so many overlooked and underappreciated things, most people think little about their elbows until something goes wrong. Here are some of the most common elbow problems:
And the surprising fifth problem? Cell phone-induced nerve irritation: holding your elbow bent for a long time can lead to “cell phone elbow” due to pressure on the ulnar nerve. This can cause numbness and pain down the arm. The solution? Put the phone down — or at least go hands-free.
How can you protect your elbows?
Considering all our elbows do for us, we need to do our best to protect them. That means:
The bottom line
As the junction between hand and shoulder, our elbows play a pivotal role in everyday function. It’s high time we recognized them for what they do for us. Even if the elbow isn’t your favorite joint — as it is for me — perhaps it should be in your top five. After all, think of all the things you couldn’t do without them.
The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, foot and ankle conditions, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.
Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.
Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.
If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic and podiatric surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.
Phone:
503-224-8399
Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209
Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm
Hip Flexor Strain
in Hip ConditionsArticle featured on Cleveland Clinic
What is a hip flexor strain?
A hip flexor strain is an injury to one of your hip flexors, the muscles where your thigh meets your hip. They’re a type of muscle strain — a tear in your muscle tissue. They’re one of the most common injuries, especially among athletes.
Strains are classified with three grades to indicate how severe they are. Most people can recover by resting their muscle and using at-home treatments like ice and over-the-counter medicine. If you’re feeling pain for a few weeks after your injury or have severe symptoms, see a healthcare provider.
Muscle strains vs. pulled muscles
There’s no difference between a strained muscled and a pulled muscle. People use the terms interchangeably. The same is true for a strained muscle and a torn muscle. They’re the same injury with the same symptoms and treatments.
Hip flexor strains and other injuries
There are lots of common injuries that cause muscle pain similar to hip flexor strains, including:
Talk to a provider if you experience any sudden, sharp pain in your body, especially if it happens during physical activity like a workout or playing sports.
Who do hip flexor strains affect?
Hip flexor strains can affect anyone. They’re common in athletes and people who are especially active.
Even if you don’t play sports or workout often, you can still strain your hip flexor, especially if you suddenly exert yourself much harder than usual.
How common are hip flexor strains?
Hip flexor strains are a common sports injury. Any athlete can injure their hip flexor, but the most common sports that cause hip flexor strains include:
How do hip flexor strains affect my body?
Your hip flexors run across the bottom of your abdomen and down the top of your hips. Like all of your muscles, your hip flexors are made of thousands of small fibers woven together. These fibers stretching and pressing together is what allows your body to move when you squeeze a muscle.
When you overuse a muscle, the strands of muscle fiber are stretched beyond their limit and tear apart. If you’ve ever tried to use an old bungee cord to hold something in place you’ve seen this happen. New bungee cords — and healthy muscle fibers — have plenty of give and stretch. But if you use them for too long or suddenly jerk on them too hard, the elastic fibers in the bungee cord will start to pull apart. It’s the same way in your muscles. Strains are what happen when some of the thousands of fibers in your muscles are pulled beyond their limit and tear.
In addition to being painful, a hip flexor strain might make it hard to walk or move without pain. Your hip and leg might feel weak or unstable. They might also cause other symptoms like bruising.
What are hip flexor strain symptoms?
Symptoms of a hip flexor strain include:
What causes hip flexor strains?
Hip flexor strains happen when you tear the fibers of your hip flexor muscles. Causes of hip flexor strains include:
How are hip flexor strains diagnosed?
A healthcare provider will diagnose a hip flexor strain with a physical exam. Make sure to tell them what you were doing when you first noticed your symptoms. Because hip flexor strains come from physical activities, it’s important they know what led to yours.
Your provider will classify the hip flexor strain with a grade, depending on its severity:
What tests will be done to diagnose a hip flexor strain?
If you have a more severe strain, your provider might use some imaging tests to diagnose your hip flexor strain:
These tests will also help them see if your injury damaged any other tissues like your tendons or ligaments.
How are hip flexor strains treated?
You can treat most hip flexor strains at home using the RICE method:
Hip flexor strain surgery
It’s rare to need surgery for a hip flexor strain. If you have a severe strain (grade 3), you might need surgery to repair your torn muscle. If the strain was severe enough to pull tendons or ligaments off of your bones, you’ll need surgery to re-attach them. Your provider will tell you which kind of surgery you’ll need and what you can expect.
What medications are used to treat hip flexor strains?
Your provider might recommend over-the-counter NSAIDs to reduce pain and swelling while you’re recovering.
Don’t use NSAIDs for more than 10 days in a row without talking to your provider.
Your provider will tell you which medications to take based on your specific symptoms.
How soon will I feel better?
Depending on how severe your original hip flexor strain is, you should feel better in a week or two. Talk to your provider before resuming any intense physical activities or exercises — especially anything that puts stress on your hips and legs.
Can I run with a hip flexor strain?
You shouldn’t run, work out or do intense exercise while you’re recovering from a hip flexor strain. If you start working out or playing sports again before your hip flexor is healed, there’s an increased chance you’ll re-injure it and hurt your muscle worse than the original strain.
How can I prevent hip flexor strains?
The best way to prevent hip flexor strains is to stretch and warm up before exercising. Increasing your overall flexibility will also protect your muscles from future injuries. The more flexible you are, the more room your muscle fibers have to stretch before they begin to tear.
It’s similar to how certain fabrics have more give than others. Your favorite pair of jeans has plenty of flexibility to it because you’ve stretched it out over years. On the other hand, you might have to wear a brand-new pair a few times before they feel comfortable. Your muscles are the same. The more you work them out and gradually stretch them, the more flexibility and give they have when you move.
What can I expect if I have a hip flexor strain?
You should expect to make a full recovery from a hip flexor strain. You should regain all your strength and ability to move after it heals. Make sure to warm up before exercising or playing sports, and give your body time to rest and recover after intense activity.
Some people with severe hip flexor strains have long-term symptoms like weakness in their torn muscle, but this is rare.
How long does a hip flexor strain last?
How long a hip flexor strain lasts depends on how badly you strained your muscle. Most hip flexor strains heal in a few weeks with at-home treatments.
Will I need to miss work or school with a hip flexor strain?
If you can do your job or schoolwork without putting stress on your strained hip flexor, you shouldn’t need to miss work or school.
Talk to your provider about which activities you should avoid while you’re recovering. Check with your provider before resuming any intense activity or exercising.
When should I see a healthcare provider?
Visit a healthcare provider right away if you’re experiencing severe symptoms like intense pain. If you’re still feeling pain after a few weeks of at-home treatments, talk to your provider.
When should I go to ER?
Go to the emergency room right away if you experience any of the following symptoms:
Go to the emergency room if you’ve experienced a trauma.
What questions should I ask my doctor?
The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, foot and ankle conditions, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.
Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.
Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.
If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic and podiatric surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.
Phone:
503-224-8399
Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209
Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm