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 NOVEMBER 2003 Greetings! Welcome to this issue of the Sports Injury Handbook E-zine. Ski season is about to start, but you can get a leg up on your skiing buddies by beginning to prepare now. In this issue we'll give you valuable tips on how to get in ski shape so you're ready at the first snowfall, as well as a book review that provides you with workouts you can do anytime, anywhere, and much more. We hope you enjoy this newsletter and invite you to pass it on to a friend. We welcome your suggestions for improvements and additions. If you'd like to be removed from our list at any time, just follow the instructions below. Yours in health, Allan M. Levy, MD and Mark L. Fuerst In this issue, you'll find: Start Up for Skiing Many skiers do nothing to condition themselves prior to the ski season. Building strong muscles and increasing cardiovascular and muscle endurance can reduce injuries and add to your enjoyment of skiing. Work to improve your flexibility, coordination, strength and general fitness. A general flexibility and stretching program will help prepare your body for the twists and turns of skiing. Before you hit the slopes, remember to warm up to increase blood flow to muscles. To strengthen your quadriceps (thigh) muscles, do One-Legged Knee Bends: Stand on one leg with the other leg slightly forward and a few inches off the ground. Slowly lower yourself into a squating position. Your hands should be forward in a skiing position. Don't bend the knee of the supporting leg more than 90 degrees. Hold until your thigh burns, and then repeat with the other leg. Also do shoulder strengthening exercises so that you can poll better and to prevent a shoulder dislocation if you fall. Q & A - Morning Pain Q: When I wake up in the morning with pain, how do I know if it's something serious? AC, Boontown, NJ A: Most chronic pain, such as arthritic joint pain, is usually worse in the morning, and gets better during the day when you start to move around. Plantar fasciitis, an inflammation of the elastic covering of the sole of the foot, is also worse in the morning. As soon as you start to walk, these elastic fibers stretch out, causing the pain. In contrast, acute injuries, such as muscle strains, are usually better in the morning and worsen as the day goes along as you use the injured body part. Strenuous activity will really aggravate acute injuries. If an acute injury is still bothering you after 4 or 5 days, see your doctor to find out what it is and what you should do for it. Look for more on Dr. Levy's take on pain in the morning in an upcoming issue of Men's Health magazine. In the News - Double Dose of Steroids Right on the heels of the Food and Drug Administration ban of the steroid tetrahydrogestrinone (THG) came the announcement from Major League Baseball that 5-7% of its players tested positive for steroid use. The designer steroid THG is exactly like other banned steroids, but was designed with deceit in mind to allow athletes to take it and pass steroid tests. Chances are that there are many more professional baseball players taking steroids -- when the National Football League first tested its players, it was estimated that between 30- 50% were using steroids, yet only 12 tested positive out of 1,800 players. And MLB's mild punishment for steroid use -- a ban from the game only after 5 positive tests -- is laughable. The war on steroids will never be over because nutritionists will always find a way to be one step ahead. Every time they get caught, they find a way to manufacture new materials that won't be picked up by tests. But these designer drugs are just as dangerous and illegal as any other performance-enhancing steroid. They all lead to serious dangers -- liver disease and liver cancer, acute prostate disease, steroid rage with uncontrollable behavior, and heart problems, including early, fatal heart attacks. 
Book Review - The Anytime, Anywhere Exercise Book by Joan Price with Lawrence Kassman, MDFitness pro Joan Price offers hundreds of convenient, instant exercises in The Anytime, Anywhere Exercise Book: 300+ Quick and Easy Exercises You Can Do Whenever You Want (Adams Media, $9.95). With little or no equipment, readers can do aerobics, strength training, or stretching while cleaning the house, shopping, driving to work, traveling by plane, working on the computer, walking the dog, and even watching TV. The premise behind the book is that you can accumulate "exercise minutes" towards a goal of 30 minutes a day in ways that are convenient, fun, and easy. Another benefit is that the reader puts together his or her own personal program to beat boredom, a key reason people abandon exercise programs. Disclaimer This newsletter is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. We are not engaged in rendering medical or other professional services. If medical advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional person should be sought. |
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