Exercise No Pain No Gain?

Exercise No Pain No Gain?

 Laurence Tabanao Gayao MD

Three months have passed since Edith, my wife and I went for a two-month vacation to the Philippine Islands. It was the longest vacations we ever took since we been together for the last 51 years. It was a lot of fun getting out of our routine being able to visit folks in different places. I would say two months was just too short to go to all the different places we wanted to visit.

Initially, for the first ten days we spent on the island of Luzon to attend my long delayed medical school 50th class reunion because of the covid pandemic. Our medical school homecoming Gala held at Conrad (Hilton) Hotel. This hotel sits atop the S Maison retail complex on the edge of Manila Bay, with a direct link to the Mall of Asia. The beautiful building’s ultramodern architecture blends well with views of the Manila bay and the Makati city skyline. The Mall of Asia is one of largest in the islands and one could spend a whole day shopping and dining and still not cover it all.

The morning after the homecoming Gala, about forty of us classmates along with some of our spouses went to Tagaytay, a resort city 65 kilometers south of Manila. I rode in a mini-bus with several classmates and after all the all the banter and catching up; we were in Tagaytay before we knew it. We stayed at the Summit Ridge Hotel Tagaytay, that gives one the best view of Taal Lake and Volcano and lets you experience the coldest spot in Tagaytay City.

While exploring the hotel I got this bright idea, thinking that I have not exercised for about a week, I thought of running up the stairs instead of using the elevator. Our room was on the eighth floor, so that afternoon I run up five floors and walked the last three floors. I got short of breath after reaching 5th floor, must be because of the higher elevation of Tagaytay. I thought I really had an excellent exercise, not until I woke 4:30 the following morning with severe unrelenting cramping pain on both of my lower legs. My wife, tried slowly stretching the muscles, massage, place cold towels and only gave me slight relief. In desperation she called on two of my classmates Shirley and Elinette next room  and later Ruben who came in and they tried to help. They said that I would need to go to an emergency room for evaluation. I eventually felt better, but it still hurt to bear weight on both legs.

Ruben who was a retired general surgeon accompanied me and Edith to the  Tagaytay Medical Center ER downtown. A young lady physician evaluated me and suggested I need to be hospitalized to have blood studies and have a Doppler scan of both legs to asses the circulation and other causes. By then I was completely asymptomatic, so I suggested that I rather have the studies done later when I got back to Manila.

I asked myself, was the cramps may due to circulation problem, or due to low calcium because to the absence of my thyroid from surgery from cancer? But I thought the most logical cause was, I was not used to the intensity of the exercise and not taking any breaks between floors. I also did not warm up before running up the steps and did not take more fluids after the exercise. Anyway it all boils down to not exercising properly. If you are 77 years young like me you have to be extra careful to stay out of trouble.

 Regular exercise is good for your body and safe for most everyone. However, with any type of activity, there is a chance you can get hurt. Exercise injuries can range from strains, sprains to back pain, severe cramps, repetitive motion injury, compartment syndrome of the legs, and many others.

With a little planning, you can prevent injury and stay safe during exercise.

What Causes Exercise Injuries?

Some of the most common causes of exercise injuries include:

• Exercising before your body has warmed up
• Repeating the same motion over and over again
• Not having proper form for your exercise
• Not resting in between workouts
• Pushing your body too hard or too quickly
• Doing an exercise that is too strenuous for your level of fitness
• Not using proper equipment

Warm up and Cool Down

Warming up before exercise gets your blood flowing, warms up your muscles, and helps you avoid injury. The easiest way to warm up is to exercise slowly for the first few minutes, then pick up the pace. For example, before running, walk briskly for 5 to 10 minutes.

You should also cool down after exercise to bring your heart rate and body temperature back to normal. Cool down by ending your routine at a slower pace for the last 5 to 10 minutes.

To Stretch or not to Stretch

To stay flexible, you should stretch at least 2 times a week. But it is unclear whether stretching really helps reduce injury.

You can stretch either after you have warmed up or after you exercise.

• Do not stretch cold muscles.
• Hold stretches for no longer than 15 to 30 seconds.
• Do not bounce while stretching.

Choose Your Exercise Wisely

If you have not been active, or have a health condition, talk with your health care provider to make sure you are healthy enough for exercise. Ask what types of exercise might be best for you.

If you are new to exercise, you may want to start with low-intensity options such as:

• Walking
• Swimming
• Riding a stationary bike
• Golf

These types of exercise are less likely to cause injury than higher-impact activities like running or aerobics. Contact sports like soccer or basketball are also more likely to cause injury.

Use the Right Equipment

Using safety equipment can greatly reduce your risk of injury.

Safety equipment for your sport may include:

• Footwear
• Helmets
• Mouth guards
• Goggles
• Shin guards or other protective guards
• Kneepads

Be sure you use the right type of equipment for your sport. For example, do not play tennis in running shoes. Wear a ski helmet, not a bike helmet, when downhill skiing.

Make sure your exercise equipment:

• Fits you properly
• Is the right design for your sport or activity
• Is in good working condition
• Is used correctly and consistently

Learn Good Form

If you are new to an exercise or sport, consider taking lessons to learn the basics. Learning the right way to do an exercise or sport can help prevent injury. Look for lessons in your community or through sports or outdoors organizations. You can also consider hiring a personal trainer.

Cross Train

To help prevent overuse injuries, vary your workouts. For example, instead of running 3 days a week, cycle 1 day and run 2. You will use a different set of muscles, and still get a good workout.

Listen to Your Body

Forget the old saying “no pain, no gain.” Of course, to build strength and stamina, you will need to push your body. The key is to push slowly and gradually. You can expect sore muscles after your workout. But you should never feel pain when exercising. If you feel pain, stop right away.

Being tired all the time can also be a sign that you may be overdoing it. In general, avoid increasing these 3 things all at the same time:

• Number of days you exercise
• Length of time you exercise
• How hard you work out

If you do have an injury, you can try to treat strains and sprains at home.

 

When to Call the Doctor

Contact your provider for any muscle or joint pain that does not go away after self-care.

Go to the hospital right away or call 911 or the local emergency number if:

• You have chest pain during or after exercise.
• You think you have a broken bone.
• The joint appears out of position.
• You have a serious injury or severe pain or bleeding.
• You hear a popping sound and have immediate problems using the joint.

 

Having been into physical exercise since I was in high school, I have had my share of injuries, I lot of them were repetitive motion injuries of the shoulders, wrist, and hips. All of them avoidable with proper precautions being followed. Yes, I believe in exercise, but not in “no pain no gain.”