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Due to health care education, more people, who are over forty, those born in
1946 to 1964, commonly known as the baby boomers, are realizing the benefits of
taking up sports or exercising in a gym.
This is well and good since exercising regularly severely cut the risks of
contracting aging and obesity related potentially killer diseases such as
diabetes, heart diseases, stroke, some forms of cancers and many other
diseases.
It is indeed heartening to know that more baby boomers are taking charge of
their health through regularly exercise to improve their cardiovascular health
thus becoming fitter and stronger. However, with more middle aged people
exercising and playing some form of sports, instances of injuries sustained from
these activities have risen substantially.
In the United States, these gym or sports injuries have become the number 2
reason for people visiting the doctor’s office just behind the common cold,
reported by the National Ambulatory Medical Care in 2003.
A Consumer Product Safety Commission research in 1998 found that sports
related injuries to baby boomers had risen by 33 percent since 1991 and
contributed to US$18.7 billion in medical costs.
Outdoor sports such as tennis, jogging and golf are very popular with people
over forties. Not to be outdone, the more body conscious over forties baby
boomers are also joining gym memberships in the multitudes.
Gyms all over the developed world are happily reporting booming new
memberships year after year with a large pool of their members being the over
forty baby boomers brigade, male or female baby boomers irrespective.
As baby boomers get older, their susceptibility to sports injuries rise
proportionately. As people age, their body degenerate along with the aging
process, although exercising regularly is known to slow down this very
degeneration process.
This is particularly so for the risky weekend warriors who take to the
running tracks or lifting weights to build their body with gusto during the
weekend putting their aging bodies and joints to sudden busts of unaccustomed
stressful activities, causing damages to their own bodies unknowingly.
What are the common baby boomer’s sports injuries? How to avoid them?
• Shoulder injuries – Common for those playing squash, tennis, badminton and
lifting weights in the gym using wrong form and techniques.
• Elbow injuries – People who play racket games and bodybuilders.
• Back injuries – A very common occurrence in the gym amongst baby boomer
bodybuilder wannabes. Also a common injury for golfers who often have to swing
their spine.
• Knee injuries – For baby boomers who participate in sports with sudden
movements and changes of directions such as squash and soccer.
•Ankle injuries - Usually striking the runners and joggers of long
distances.
How to avoid the risks of sports injuries for the over forties?
This is largely common sense which most people know but few do it regularly
as part of their exercise routine in so doing, risking injuries which can be
avoided.
• Thorough warm of the muscles and joints which will be involved in the
exercise or sport.
• Stretching adequately and correctly. Many people stretch in the wrong
manner which then may cause even more injuries.
• Take the exercises or sports one step at a time, then as endurance and
strength build up over time, you can then increase the intensity of the sport or
the exercise.
• Exercise regularly. Not just over the weekend. Your body may not be able to
cope with the sudden outburst each weekend.
• Hire a sports personal trainer who can tailor an exercise program suitable
to your health condition and guide you safely through the exercises.
So baby boomers, don’t become a victim of your exercises. You want to be fit
and healthy, not suffering from pain and despair from what could have been an
enjoyable game of healthy sporting activity. Over 40s sports injuries can be
avoided.
Chris Chew is a personal trainer of actors, pageant winners, models and
celebrities. He is the author of Burn Fat Fast, Build Muscles Fast! and runs a
fitness school Singapore's Personal Trainers
Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com |
