Sports Medicine: Are You Exercising Too Hard?

Athletes and individuals undertaking their own fitness programs are all guilty of pushing themselves too hard and too fast at one point or another. While pushing your physical limits is a must to achieve better results, there is a limit to the amount of stress that your muscles, bones and joints can take.

This is where the expertise of sports medicine doctors of Healthpointe clinics come in. With their knowledge and skills about the body’s physiology, these healthcare experts can provide advice about slowing down when the body’s maximum physical limits are being breached. Healthpointe clinics can be found in many areas of California including Los Angeles, which is accessible to patients from Burbank, Glendale, Pasadena, Beverly Hills, and Santa Monica.

One of the common effects of overtraining is rhabdomyolysis, a condition which causes the breakdown of muscles and damage to the kidneys. While this is becoming all too common among CrossFit enthusiasts, it can also happen to any athlete who pushes himself too hard, too fast.
What are the signs that you are pushing yourself beyond the limits of physical safety?

• You feel like you have to cheat more than necessary.

If you have to cheat or compromise on your technique just to get in the required number of reps, then you are overdoing it. When you reach the point known as technical failure, you should stop or else you are increasing your risks for injuries to your muscles, bones and joints.

• Your joints are becoming sore.
• Sore muscles and joints are to be expected during intense exercise. In fact, soreness in the body can be a good thing after exercise because it means that the muscles and bones are getting stronger. But when your normal functions are being affected, such as when you cannot bend your joints or use the restroom without difficulty, then you are pushing yourself too hard, too fast.
• You start pushing past your pain. Your body is the best indicator of whether you are overtraining or not. When it begins to feel pain, stop whatever it is that you are doing during training. While soreness is fine, pain is not.

The fine line between training your body for optimum performance and overtraining it toward increased risks for injury is fine, indeed. Listen to your body so that you don’t cross the line. Come to the Healthpointe clinic for orthopedic injury-related injuries, such as our clinic at Temecula, which is accessible to Murrieta, Fallbrook, Wildomar, Canyon Lake, and Sun City patients.

About Healthpointe:

Healthpointe is a leading multidisciplinary healthcare organization offering a full range of medical services in practice locations throughout Southern California (Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Bernardino County, and Riverside County). Healthpointe has locations situated in over 10 cities in Southern California including Anaheim, which is conveniently located near Fullerton, Placentia, Villa Park, Buena Park, Cypress, Cerritos, and Garden Grove. As a highly regarded musculoskeletal group, we have a personal investment in the highest level of service, and we are proud of our record of excellence over the last four decades with private patients, injured workers, urgent care, personal injuries, and professional and non-professional athletes. Leading our organization is a dynamic team of healthcare professionals who continually strive to be at the forefront of medical innovation and healthcare service delivery. For more information, a complete list of services, and Healthpointe locations, visit www.Healthpointe.net.