No stress , no schedule and an irresistible desire to regain form ? But before you start long tennis games in full heat or to participate in crawl races with teenagers without ever having dipped his jersey in a pool during the year, you must ...
1- It evaluates its state before the resumption of a sports activity
Muscular and tendon problems are likely to arise when one is exhausted by his year of work and lacks training. Do not overestimate your abilities and do not try to follow a group of more experienced friends even if you used to be a near-champion. Also avoid playing with inappropriate equipment (too heavy). Each year, tens of thousands of holidaymakers eager to embark on a sporting activity are the cost of this imprudence. We go there, but gently, and not necessarily the first day.
Tips: Practice different sports in small doses so that you do not concentrate all your efforts on the same group of muscles. Practice at your own pace, taking breaks if you feel the need. One must be able to speak without breathlessness throughout the session. Otherwise, we are forcing and we must stop right away.
2- Drink well water again and again
The more dehydrated it is - which happens frequently in the middle of the summer - the higher the risk of having a ligamentous , tendonous or muscular problem . In fact, 1% of water loss (ie 600 g for a 60 kg woman) immediately translates into 10% less muscle capacity.
3- Manage the heat during the sports effort
Fatigue and heat are two important factors of accidents. Many of them occur at the end of the session too long or the hottest hours of the day. Especially when the atmosphere is hot and humid (tropical climate) because transpiration is difficult and elimination is inefficient.
The best prevention: activate the "fresh" and drink 3-4 sips of bicarbonated water like St Yorre every 10 min. Or try this sporty thing : a pressed orange cut with water by adding salt. It's less bad than it looks and it's especially effective.
4- Listen to your body to react in time to avoid injuries
A muscle that curls up and hurts is a contracture . It is right when you have swam, cycled or run too long (the muscle has been overloaded). It must be put at rest immediately. If we persist, the complication occurs. To do also: massage the leg upwards, starting from the ankle to the heart, and stretch to relax the contracted muscle .
A brutal pain like a projectile: it's a breakdown . The muscle fibers tear because the duration or the intensity of the activity are not connected with our capacities. We stop everything in order to put the injured member in a landfill and we go to consult. The key is crutches and 10 to 15 physiotherapy sessions prescribed by the doctor (to work the muscle again gently). Allow at least 3 weeks of minimum treatment before considering resuming physical activity .
A sprain : it is a distension of the external ligament of the ankle (sprain the most frequent when one runs) and sometimes of the knee when one plays tennis. If the pain disappears once standing, no need to consult. Just stop the physical activity for the day immediately. But if walking is painful, go to the doctor for a radiographic assessment : a compression may be necessary, even a plaster for 3-4 weeks if it is more serious.
A posteriori pain: this is often tendonitis , that is to say an inflammation of a tendon that is too much stressed, located in the heel or the elbow. A tennis racket too heavy, a string too tight or a bad technique causes tendonitis of the elbow. A jog on a hard ground with unsuitable shoes and it is the Achilles tendon that is affected. To do: put cold to relieve and forget any idea of working sick tendon for at least two weeks.
5- And after in case of injury or pain?
If the same problem is repeated in the following months, it is necessary to review its level of hydration , its technique, its equipment and the conditions in which one practices, preferably by being helped by a "pro" of the discipline. If the pain persists, we consult: often, the management of the initial problem was not properly done and scars of poor quality persist. We must avoid letting the problem drag on when we come back from vacation, on the pretext that we no longer have the time to take care of ourselves. It's stupid, because we risk suffering for a long time, or even having to be operated on for a badly treated sprain.
Good ideas ...
To relieve. Cold is indicated for ligament inflammation (sprain or tendinitis) and, in case of shock, to limit the formation of edema. Hot for muscle pain (cramp or breakdown).
In the plate. Seasonal fruits because fructose is the ally of long-lasting muscular efforts . Ditto for waters rich in magnesium, especially in case of cramps.
... and the bad ones
To relieve. Analgesics . They are to be avoided in case of pain during the sport session. Its appearance is an excellent alarm signal. If we mask it, we risk forcing and thus aggravating the problem. If it hurts, stop, point.
In the plate. Cold cuts and meat-rich dishes. They are consumed in moderation because the proteins produce waste that overloads the kidneys and promotes the triggering of tendonitis.
Thanks to Dr. edwige Bertin, sports doctor, lifeguard and former doctor of the Tour de France.
