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NOV 2014

SIX WAYS OLD INJURIES CAN IMPACT YOUR HEALTH NOW ❯❯❯ BYLINDA MELONE

FAMILYCIRCLE.COM REAPPEARING ACT Center inDedham,Massachusetts. New EnglandBaptist OutpatientCare Dawson, MD, atthe orthopedicsurgeon that scarlater,” explainsCourtney spraining orpartiallytearingligaments inward—but itcanalsorolloutward, or torn.“Theanklemost oftenrolls when aligamentisoverstretched can resultinthisinjury. Ithappens footwork playing soccerwithyourkid awkward step whileshowing offancy health. Astumble inhighheelsoran Looking cutecanbebadforyour ❯❯❯ are oftendifcult,” Granthamadds. motions, like cutting orpivoting, which awkward doing activities involving quick treatment. “As you age you may feel when youmissoutontheappropriate less stable later in life, particularly That’s because the injury may leave your Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas. MD, orthopedic specialist at Texas transpire again,” says Cori Grantham, occurs, it ismuchmorelikely to 1. SPRAINED ANKLE

“Once a ILLUSTRATIONS BY CARL WIENS

Photo: Amber Gray. Hair: Jeanie Syfu. Makeup: Albee Franson. Wardrobe styling: Megan Hungerford. Manicure: Kim Chiu at Mark Edward Inc. PROTECTION PLAN Bolster your ankle that strengthen the without by working with a physical therapist to stressing it, such as walking, biking, fortify surrounding muscles, says Mark swimming, Pilates and using low-impact Gugliotti, DPT, an assistant professor of cardio machines like elliptical trainers. at New York Institute of Technology in Old Westbury, New ❯❯❯ 3. HERNIATED DISK York. Invest in active footwear with a “It’s one of the most common injuries I supportive sole and adequate arch see in people under 40,” says Michael A. support if you’re flat-footed. Bracing or Gleiber, MD, board-certified orthopedic taping the ankle may be beneficial spine surgeon and afliate assistant during sports that require quick turns. professor at The Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic ❯❯❯ 2. TORN ACL University in Boca Raton, Florida. It’s not just a hazard for basketball Unlike a bulging disk (which usually players and skiers. Damage to your doesn’t hurt), slipped or herniated disks anterior cruciate (ACL), one usually cause and occur when of four main stabilizing the the disks between the bones of your knee, is often signaled by a popping spinal column break open. A handful sound and can happen simply from of women can trace their back pain to tripping or landing awkwardly after a a car accident or frequently picking up jump. “ACL tears usually result from a colicky baby. “But about 90% of this hyperextension, as the knee twists in damage occurs without knowing the the opposite direction from which it was culprit,” says Gleiber. designed to move,” explains Gugliotti. REAPPEARING ACT “A small herniation Unfortunately, women are at greater generally goes undetected and has

ALWAYS USE PROPER FORM, WHETHER YOU’RE LIFTING WEIGHTS, PICKING UP A BAG OF GROCERIES OR SITTING IN A CHAIR. risk for this sideliner, perhaps due to our limited impact as you age,” says wider or lesser muscular strength, Gleiber. “However, a large herniation, which makes the knee less stable. which is determined by a clinical REAPPEARING ACT Your knee may exam and an MRI, can later cause pain become more prone to developing when bending, lifting or twisting painful arthritis and meniscus tears— as well as numbness, tingling and splits in the C-shaped cartilage shooting that can seem to appear that acts as a shock absorber for the out of nowhere.” knee, says Dawson. A torn meniscus PROTECTION PLAN Work your core, could lead to pain and swelling, and suggests fitness expert Ellen Barrett, may even lock out. MA. “Just about all mat Pilates PROTECTION PLAN If you have another exercises work great,” she says. You knee injury, frequently play sports or might also start and finish any have a physical job, consider surgery. workout with one minute in child’s Otherwise, opt out of activities that pose, where you sit on your heels require sudden lateral movement and lay your chest on your (like tennis or soccer), which could with your at your side. In irritate the ACL, and those that require addition, always use proper form, pounding (such as running or stair- whether you’re lifting weights, climbing), which can negatively impact picking up a bag of groceries or sitting the knee. Instead, commit to exercises in a chair—no slouching, ladies.

126 NOV 2014 FAMILYCIRCLE.COM Prevention Rx THE DOS AND DON’TS OF BOOSTING BONE HEALTH There’s plenty you can do—and a few things you shouldn’t—to protect your frame. Getting your daily dose of calcium is just the beginning when it comes to staying strong.

DO: CUT BACK bran cereal foods include blocking phytates. ON SALT or mufns for tomato products, Reduce phytate A high-sodium diet breakfast, wait avocados, spinach, levels by eating can cause kidneys at least a couple yogurt, prunes and sprouted legumes to release calcium, hours before sweet potatoes. or soaking dry which results in taking calcium beans in water for bone loss and an supplements. “The DON’T: OVERDO several hours before increased risk of bran contains THE COFFEE cooking them. breaks, explains Gail phytates, which Cafeine may lower Cresci, PhD, RD, in bind with minerals your body’s ability DON’T: the department of and interfere with to absorb calcium, SHORTCHANGE gastroenterology calcium absorption,” so consider cutting YOURSELF with Cleveland says Cresci. back. The National Living in a cold or Clinic. The easiest Osteoporosis cloudy climate way to keep daily DO: EAT YOUR Foundation limits exposure to sodium intake FRUITS AND recommends sunlight, the under 1,500 VEGGIES limiting cofee to body’s main source milligrams per day Oranges and less than three of vitamin D, is by eliminating bananas may not cups a day. which it needs to processed foods, sound like bone absorb calcium. which contain more builders, but their DO: SOAK If that sounds like than 75% of the high potassium and THOSE BEANS the place you call sodium we eat. micronutrient Although beans home, you may content makes them contain calcium, want to take a DON’T: MIX WHEAT particularly magnesium, fiber supplement. BRAN AND important healing and other healthy Cresci recommends CALCIUM PILLS foods. Other nutrients, they’re 1,200 IU of vitamin If you eat wheat potassium-rich also high in calcium- D daily. ❯❯❯ 4. TORN kneed position, in which the turn ROTATOR CUFF inward. This creates alignment issues Armchair athletes beware: Something with the kneecap, which can result in as simple as pulling on a sweater or pain, ligament and tendon strains and lifting an object into the trunk of your even ACL tears, says Grantham. car can lead to tears in your rotator cuf, PROTECTION PLAN “Always work a group of four muscles that stabilizes on strengthening your hips to help the . The result is muscular prevent any further problems with imbalances and pain down the road. them or your knees,” explains Barrett. REAPPEARING ACT Even though A physical therapist can create a surrounding muscles and structures program of modified weight-bearing will try to compensate for weakness, exercises. (You might walk for 10 a small tear will likely become larger. minutes instead of 30, for example.) A This could eventually lead to bursitis, good strengthener and stretch is an inflammation of the bursa sac, the yoga pose Supta Baddha Konasana, which helps provide cushioning and or reclining bound angle pose, in which protection for the cuf and surrounding you lie on your back with feet together tendons, explains Gugliotti. Another and knees pointed outward. “Hold possible complication is shoulder for around one to five minutes post- impingement—when soft tissue in the workout,” says Barrett. shoulder is compressed by bone. You’ll feel a sharp pain and your range of ❯❯❯ 6. TORN WRIST motion (including overhead reach) LIGAMENT may be limited. Arthritis could also It’s a basic instinct: As you stumble, develop down the line. you extend your arms to break your PROTECTION PLAN Work with a fall with your hands. Afterward, you physical therapist on a conditioning expect some swelling and soreness, but program to strengthen your shoulder, what results may be much worse—a back and arms. Meanwhile, avoid or common injury involving a tear of the modify everyday overhead movements scapholunate ligament, located near and workout activities. “Wall push-ups, the center of the wrist. “That ligament for example, are a perfect rotator cuf holds the bones of the wrist in proper strengthening exercise once you’ve alignment,” explains Stuart Elkowitz, healed,” says Barrett. MD, orthopedic surgeon and hand surgeon with Putnam Hospital Center ❯❯❯ 5. HIP LABRAL TEAR and Northern Westchester Hospital, “When it happens, it feels like a in New York. “When it is completely pinching deep inside the hip that torn, the bones shift.” usually goes away when lying REAPPEARING ACT A scapholunate down,” explains Gleiber, who is also ligament tear often seems like a a spokesperson for the American simple and goes undiagnosed Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. The and untreated. If not addressed at the labrum, a ring of soft tissue that follows time it occurs, a predictable pattern of the outer rim of the hip socket, acts arthritis ensues years later, resulting in like a cushion inside the hip . “A pain and limited range of motion. tear commonly occurs from excessive PROTECTION PLAN “Using hand bending and rotation of the hip, as in therapy putty to improve your grip skiing, running or doing ballet,” he strength helps,” says Grantham. In explains. Physical therapy or surgery addition, simple stretches increase may be options, depending on the flexibility. (Try holding up your severity of the tear. hand as if stopping trafc and gently REAPPEARING ACT Labral tears often pulling back your fingers. Then point put you at a higher risk of developing your fingers down toward the ground arthritis as your body attempts to and gently stretch in this opposite stabilize the joint. Weakness in the direction.) Don’t forget to modify hip muscles will eventually afect the exercises, like doing plank pose on entire lower extremity, causing hip your or using your own body and knee pain and gait problems. For weight instead of additional weights, example, weak hips cause a knock- until you get stronger, suggests Barrett.

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