Vim & Vigor - Winter 2010 - North Mississippi - (Page 15)

The AFTEREFFECTS f you do all the right steps and DOMS still rears its ugly head, don’t worry. The soreness should be gone in a day or two. And the good news is that you’ll feel it a little less with each workout. That’s because your muscles adapt to the stress you put them under. But if you decide to up your intensity, weight, duration or speed, expect DOMS again as your muscles react to the new stimulus. It may seem counterintuitive, but when soreness sets in, one of the best things you can do is go out the next day and have a light workout. “Light” being the key word. Getting off the couch actually will reduce the soreness, McCall explains. “It increases circulation, gets the metabolic waste out of your muscles and gets oxygen in, all of which helps with recovery,” he says. Massage, hydrotherapy and alternating applications of heat and cold also can help. When your pain goes beyond soreness, that’s the time to take a step back and assess. Is the pain sharp or in a speciﬁc area? Is there pain in a joint or a muscle? Did you hear a pop during your workout? “You need to listen to your body, not your brain,” Massaro says. For sharp pains, follow the RICE prescription: rest, ice, compression and elevation. If you have swelling, try taking a nonsteroidal antiinﬂammatory, such as Advil. If you follow the RICE plan and the pain doesn’t go away in one to three weeks, it’s time to see a doctor. Severe pain should be treated immediately. Remember, soreness, not pain, is part of working out. “You don’t need to destroy your body to get results,” Greenﬁeld says. “You can get enormous beneﬁts from a walk.” B:11.125” online PHOTOGRAPHY BY BLEND IMAGES S:9.125” T:10.5” When It’s More Serious If you have a nagging pain or injury, don’t just grin and bear it or ignore it and hope it will go away. You could end up doing more damage. “‘No pain, no gain’ should have gone out with neon legwarmers,” says Edwin Crenshaw, fitness coordinator for the NMMC Wellness Center in Tupelo. “There’s a difference between discomfort and pain. Pain is a signal to stop!” Specifically, don’t ignore these signs: • Numbness or tingling sensations • Joint pain • Point-specific tenderness • Decreased range of motion • Weakness on one side • Swelling When one or more muscles or joints are injured, the other joints in line with it can suffer. “If pain lasts longer than a week or two, it’s likely you’ve caused damage to the muscle or tendon,” Crenshaw says. That means it’s time to talk to your healthcare professional and figure out what’s going on. If you’re ready to get into shape, visit www.nmhs.net/wellness_ centers.php to learn more about the services available and to determine which location is convenient for you. Don’t Wait. Get in Shape Vim & Vigor · WI NTER 2010 15 http://www.nmhs.net/wellness_centers.php http://www.nmhs.net/wellness_centers.php

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Vim & Vigor - Winter 2010 - North Mississippi

Vim & Vigor - Winter 2010 - North Mississippi
Table of Contents
Opening Thoughts
Lives Renewed
Hands-On Approach
Smart Moves
Miss Information
Stroke Sense
Gut Feelings
On the Cover - The Story on Stress
The Faces of Skin Cancer
Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark
A Natural Dilemma
17 Reasons to Work in Healthcare
Aerobics Roundup
Make a Splash
It’s a Great Place to Work
Catch the Spirit

Vim & Vigor - Winter 2010 - North Mississippi