By Tyrel Linkhorn

Americans have an up-and-down relationship with exercise.

As the weather improves and the temperatures rise so too does our activity level. Polling from Gallup has consistently found a spring spike in exercise — followed by a big decline in the fall.

Entering this year’s ramp-up, experts at The University of Toledo Medical Center say it’s important to pace yourself and build toward your exercise goals. 

“If you have something that you’re aiming toward, like a big hike or a half marathon,” said Dr. David Sohn, an orthopedic surgeon at UTMC, “just realize that your body is going to benefit from gradual increments of your activities rather than just doing something all of a sudden.”

Doing too much too quickly and too intensely is a recipe for sore muscles, aching tendons or even injuries that require medical treatment.

“Everyone should be looking to become more active but it’s nice to do so in a way that’s going to be safe and not create any pain or injuries,” said Sohn, who is chief of the UTMC Shoulder and Sports Medicine Division.

Some of the most common complaints from people rushing back into exercise are shin splints, knee pain and tendonitis.

With proper planning and preparation, many of those nagging aches can be avoided. One of the most important things, Sohn said, is stretching.

“Whatever body part you are using the most, that’s the body part that is most likely going to have some type of overuse and some tightness,” he said. “Stretching before an activity will help prevent injury. Stretching afterwards helps to prevent tightness.”

Sohn also recommends starting with some light sprints or jogging to loosen up muscles and get the blood flowing.

While Sohn said it’s OK to push yourself toward discomfort, you shouldn’t be experiencing pain.

Not all exercise-related injuries need care from a physician, but Sohn said individuals should never have any fear of making an appointment for what they think could be a minor injury.

In general, some signs that an injury will require medical care are swelling, instability and motion that gets stuck.

“Our joints are supposed to have smooth, easy motion. If there’s a lot of crunching and popping and rice crispies — and that’s new —that’s something to be concerned about,” he said.

Another sign you might need to see a doctor is not being able to finish a game or activity or if you actually feel something pop.

ACL tears, for example, almost always include a twist and pop in the knee, immediate swelling and an inability to finish the game.

“You hear those three things, almost any sports medicine specialist is going to think ACL and they’re going to order an MRI,” Sohn said.  

If you have injured yourself, Sohn said a good general rule for knowing when you’re ready to resume your activity is that your pain is no more than a two out of 10, you have a full range of motion and you’re at full strength.

“If you don’t have your full motion or full strength, not only is that particular joint at risk for future injury, but another one is too,” he said. “A lot of times if someone returns to sport too soon, it’s not that they reinjure whatever has been injured, it’s that they injure something else.”

Sohn frequently sees this in baseball players, particularly pitchers. They’ll start with a tweaked knee or an ankle sprain and end up injuring their shoulder or arm because they’ve shifted their throwing motion trying to push through the lower body pain.

One of the best tips Sohn has for anyone looking to improve their fitness and do so in a safe and healthy way is to think of flexibility training the same way we tend to do with cardio and strength.

“That’s really the third leg of your tripod,” he said. “Flexibility is what’s going to help prevent pain and flexibility is going to be what helps prevent injury. That’s going to be the thing that’s going to allow you to keep going and stay in the game.”

First Published April 14, 2023, 4:00 a.m.