: Fitness junkies, are you experiencing knee pain? Thinking of hiding it under a haze of pain killers? Or, maybe, you’ve been passing it off as a norm because your gym buddies have their fair share of twinges, too?
Gym instructors, doctors and nutritionists, however, say this is a dangerous trend. There are a host of reasons why exercising might cause joint or muscle pain.
“People who don’t do warm-up exercises experience pain in their joints,” says fitness enthusiast Rajnish Behl. It’s also important to know the right techniques while exercising. Therefore, make sure your trainer has sound knowledge in workout routines.
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“To save money, many local gyms hire untrained instructors. This might prove dangerous to the health of the clients,’’ says Mr. Behl, who himself trained at a gym in Vikaspuri.
Vansh Atrri, a trainer from Fluid Fitness, (which has a chain of gyms across the city), says, “Injury usually occurs because clients learn the wrong positions and continue to perform them without proper supervision.”
Mr. Behl also highlights that painkillers offer false security from pain. “If pain persists, focus should be shifted towards strengthening muscles that support the affected joint, ” he says.
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It is important to choose the appropriate footwear while exercising, warn gym instructors. In case of high-intensity workouts such as Zumba (incorporates dance forms such as hip-hop, samba, salsa, merengue and mambo) and Masala Bhangra (a traditional folk dance from Punjab), the threat is more real. “I started experiencing strain in my knees after my first week of classes of Zumba, ”says Reena Khanna (50), a businesswoman. She later found out that her footwear was to be blamed.
Many people wear regular running shoes while exercising. While these facilitate a better grip, they cause ‘torquing’, wherein the knees point in a different direction from the feet, thereby causing strain. Therefore, it is best to opt for light-weight and shock-absorbent shoes.
Adequate nourishment
Leading an unhealthy lifestyle could also invite joint pain, warns Tripti Tandon, a clinical nutritionist who practises in Gurgaon. Stress is another factor.
“Middle-aged women also experience joint pain because their bodies stop manufacturing calcium. Those undergoing menopause or suffering from polycystic ovary syndrome are also susceptible to joint pain.” To overcome this, Ms. Tandon recommends a diet rich in vitamin, calcium and iron. Foods such as avocado, alsi seeds, dry fruits, yolk, milk and yogurt are vital.
Battling odds
Dr. Gaurav Sharma from SportsFit, Vasant Kunj, warns that all those experiencing persistent joint pain should avoid high-intensity workouts. Instead, they can opt for swimming and cycling.
For those suffering from mild muscle pain, hamstring and quadriceps stretches are a must before and after a workout. Hamstrings can be stretched by touching your toes with your hands while standing or by sitting on the floor and doing the same with your legs extended. Quadriceps can be stretched by bending your knee back and touching your ankle to your hip with the help of your hands while standing. This pose must be repeated at least thrice for thirty seconds each.
Dr. Sourabh Mangal, a physiotherapist, says that exercises such as squats, lunges and leg extensions should be avoided if one is suffering from acute muscle pain. For those with joint ache, activities such as floating yoga, boxing, step aerobics and spinning aren’t advisable, he says.
(The writer is an intern with The Hindu)
It is important to strengthen and mobilise the muscles that support the affected joint