CrossFit, pain, injuries and "uncle rhabdo"

If you have been to crossfit classes chances are you have been injured (or you will be injured), and chances are that it's YOUR fault!

Just like any other form of exercise, crossfit is demanding, but it's up to you to know what your limits are and when to stop.  HAVING SAID THAT, in the crossfit environment is very common to get caught up in trying to do more and push yourself as hard as you can.  And sure, it's fun, but there is a fine line between pushing yourself to be better, and pushing yourself too far for no reason whatsoever.

In our practice we call people who push themselves too far...... (wait for it...)....PATIENTS!, So sure, every ortho, PT and chiro in town is grateful to every crossfit, bootcamp, yoga, P90X and tough mudder group out there, but we would rather offer some advise to prevent injuries that sometimes can be life changing.

A little note about a type of injury that's getting a lot of attention in the crossfit world right now: RHABDOMYOLYSIS (rhabdo as it's known). This is a very serious condition that can lead to major problems such as kidney failure.  How does this happen? When you train you create minor muscle strains that when all is well result in stimulation of the muscle to become bigger/stronger/ and/or have more endurance depending on the type of exercise you to.  When you over train the byproduct of muscle tears is the release of a lot of lots of waste products into your bloodstream, and of particular concern is the myoglobin.  Myoglobin is the oxygen carrying molecule in your muscles (like hemoglobin carries oxygen in your blood).  The problem is that myoglobin is too big to get filtered by the kidneys properly, particularly in large quantities.  Essentially this leads to your kidneys getting clogged up and you can have kidney failure (no bueno).  Read the story of Kristine Ho and her recent bout with rhabo.

PREVENTING SPORT INJURIES:

It's impossible to have 100% prevention, but it's 100% possible to decrease your chance and degree of injury by following some simple steps:

1. Have a goal in mind for your work out (each time). If the class or activity that you are doing is not congruent with your goal, modify it to your goal.  (20 people in the class will not have the same goal).

2. Get assessed by your crossfit coach and find your limitations.  You may not be able to properly perform many of the exercises due to your physical limitations including flexibility, stability and strength. For example, if your gluts are not firing properly, you will probably not be able to do a proper squat, and you will likely compensate with your quads, putting your knees and low back at risk of injury.

This doesn't mean you can't do a squat (or other exercise), but it may mean that you need to change the depth/weight or limit your reps until you can do it well.

3. Take time off.  Your body needs time to recover and rebuild itself.

4. If it hurts STOP. Pain is generally a good indicator that there is something wrong. Let your coach know, and either modify your activity or see a consultation with your chiropractor or ortho.

5. Build slowly. There is no rush in increasing the number of reps or weight. Perfect form with light weight is better (for injury prevention) than the opposite.

If you have any questions or you have an injury that you would like to get assessed please don't hesitate to call our office at 310-993-8482 or send us an email at [email protected].

Dr. Eric - Santa Monica Chiropractor

BS. Kinesiology.

ELDOA Practitioner

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Monday
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