Weekend warriors are individuals who participate in a particular hobby or activity exclusively during weekends or leisure time. This type of activity can often lead to injuries in muscles, tendons, and ligaments due to excessive and sudden physical exertion.
Weekend warriors are prone to various types of injuries due to their sudden and intense physical activities.
Some common injuries that weekend warriors may experience include:
- Strains and sprains in muscles and joints
- Shin splints (pain in the lower leg)
- Stress fractures (tiny cracks in bones due to repetitive stress)
- Rotator cuff injuries (shoulder pain)
- Tennis elbow (pain in the outer elbow)
- Plantar fasciitis (heel pain)
- Dehydration and heat exhaustion
Engaging in sports or physical activities carries inherent risks of injury. Some common high-risk sports or activities include:
- Contact sports like basketball and soccer, where collisions and falls can result in injuries like sprains, fractures, and concussions
- Cycling, which can lead to falls, collisions, and injuries such as road rash, fractures, and head injuries
- Running, especially for weekend warriors who may push themselves too hard, can result in shin splints, stress fractures, and other overuse injuries
- Tennis, which can cause injuries such as tennis elbow and knee sprains from sudden stops and starts
- Golf, which can cause back, shoulder, and elbow injuries from repetitive motions
- Walking or training dogs, which can lead to falls, sprains, and strains, especially if the dog pulls or runs unexpectedly
Even hobbies like knitting or sewing can lead to hand and wrist injuries if done for extended periods without taking breaks or using proper ergonomics.
TIPS TO PREVENT WEEKEND WARRIOR INJURIES
Hydrate: Drink enough water everyday and especially before and after exerting yourself with strenuous activities
Exercise during the week: This includes stretching and needs to be done regularly , start a few days a week prior and after every work out. Perform both static and dynamic stretches (to encourage muscle tone, flexibility, and range of motion).
Cross train: Swimming , yoga and walking can help strengthen muscles regardless of the sport you do on the weekends.
Warm Up: A proper warm up with dynamic stretches is needed to prepare the body for the exercise you are about to do (tossing the ball around or jogging for 2 minutes is not a warmup).
Proper Gear: Wear safety helmets , elbow and knee pads and check if your equipment is working properly such as golf clubs, skis and bike. Also ensure the correct size of footwear and comfortability.
Set Goals: Gradually increase your fitness level, there are different ways to achieve this such as with the number of repetitions, sets , weights, resistance, time and distance. You can add 10% of each every weekend depending on your current fitness level.
Body awareness: DO NOT push through the pain , seek medical help should you experience pain during exercises or during sport participation.
