Preventing the More Common Knee Injuries in Weekend Warriors
People who engage in strenuous exercise once a week after spending the previous five or six days without much activity are at increased risk of injury, especially if they don’t warm up with the proper stretching first. Healthcare practitioners and fitness trainers sometimes refer to this problem as weekend warrior syndrome. Mueller braces and supports may be prescribed for injuries to a knee or elbow joint, or to the tendons, muscles and ligaments around those joints.
Knees and Injuries
Injuries to the knees are the most common for weekend warriors. This is partly because the knee joint is at highest risk for injury because of its complex structure, and the stress and force it must deal with. The other reason is the way people tend to use this joint. They are more likely to twist the knee too far to one side, for example. They can injure the knee after jumping up and then landing awkwardly.
Meniscal tears and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears can occur because of vigorous activity when the knee is not strong enough to manage this form of exercise. The person feels significant pain but probably doesn’t know exactly what is wrong.
Diagnostics
A doctor diagnoses the condition through various methods. Sometimes the disorder can be verified simply by asking the patient to perform certain movements with the knee joint while the doctor holds hands on the soft tissues, evaluating what is happening under the skin. Sometimes limited range of motion indicates a specific injury. The patient is asked to report symptoms of pain, stiffness and discomfort to assist with the diagnosis. Swelling is evaluated as well.
With these methods, diagnostic imagery may be unnecessary. In cases where a doctor wants to have images to confirm a diagnosis, X-rays and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be used. The more severe the injury seems to be, the more likely a doctor will order those tests. Precise diagnosis of the condition is important so the right products from a manufacturer such as Mueller Sports Medicine can be ordered. Different support devices are used for a meniscal tear than for an ACL tear, for example.
Preventive Strategies
Some Mueller braces and supports have been developed specifically to prevent knee injuries for men and women who are weekend warriors. A more effective strategy is to exercise during the week, doing activities that strengthen the muscles, ligaments and tendons around the knees. The support device can still be worn as directed.
