1. Stay Active
Extended rest masks pain without fixing the source and can lead to scar-tissue buildup. "It's been shown irrefutably that if you exercise at a very low intensity, it stimulates healing," says Fabio Comana, exercise physiologist with the American Council on Exercise.
2. Get Help
A physical therapist will give you exercises that mildly stress the problem spot, repairing damaged tissues. Example: For patellar tendinitis, nothing beats the single-leg squat, which strengthens the tendon by lengthening it while lowering weight on an elongated glute muscle. Look for certified sports PTs at www.apta.org.
| Preventive Measures |
| Recovering from a nagging injury? Next time you go for a run or a ride, try taking ibuprofen beforehand. As long as you're cleared for activity by your doctor, inhibiting swelling prior to a workout can dramatically reduce post-exercise inflammation and pain. "It's an ounce of prevention versus a pound of treatment," says U.S. Ski Team physician Phelps Kip. |
3. Find the Culprit
The body is a chain, and the area that hurts is most likely not the source of your pain. Sore knees, for example, are often caused by weak hips. Treating the symptom of a cranky joint means zilch if you jump back into activity without identifying the pain's source.
4. Look Beyond the Screen
Don't rely on magnetic-resonance-imaging exams for nagging injuries. MRIs reveal significant damage to tendons and ligaments but often miss the soft-tissue imbalances that lead to nagging and chronic pain. Your physical therapist can help you spot the hidden problems and fix them.
5. Sweat the Technique
"You can fix the symptoms for tennis elbow," says the Mayo Clinic's Dr. Ed Laskowski, "but if you keep swinging the racket wrong, the problem's coming back." A sports trainer certified in "corrective exercise" can tell if your form is causing problems. (Get info at nasm.org.)
6. Gear Up
Ill-fitting shoes, bikes, ski boots, etc. mean trouble. If your gear doesn't fit your body, your body will try to fit your gear—by stretching, bending, and breaking.
