Preventing Pesky Summer Joint and Muscle Pain

Summer is the time to get outside, move a little more and start on those outside projects you’ve been putting off all winter. Unfortunately for many, joint and muscle pain ends up slowing you down. Learn how to prepare for and prevent joint and muscle pain before it happens so you can stay mobile and continue doing the things you love.

Activities That Cause Joint and Muscle Pain

From golf to gardening, any activity that you haven’t done for a while can cause flare-ups of pain.

“Joint and muscle pain can be caused by overuse, improper form or not adequately warming up,” shares Justin Lea, MD, an orthopaedic surgeon at ProMedica Physicians Perrysburg Orthopaedic Surgery | Sports Medicine. “Activities that we typically see more injuries as a result of in the summer include golf, tennis, pickleball, softball, baseball, running and gardening or yard work.”

However, the risk of injury doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t make time to enjoy the summer activities that you love.

Preventing Joint and Muscle Pain

Most joint and muscle pain is preventable. This starts with making sure your body is in shape and prepared to handle the activities that you plan to take on. “It’s extremely beneficial to maintain as good of flexibility and overall fitness as you can,” Dr. Lea shares. “Frequent stretching and having an exercise routine will help prevent a lot of the common overuse injuries that we see.”

Warm Up

Always take time to warm up before starting an activity. “Warming up will allow your muscles and joints to acclimate to the activity that you’re engaging in and reduce the risk of injury,” Dr. Lea emphasizes. And warming up before starting an activity doesn’t just apply to sports. “People can benefit from warming up even when you’re doing something as simple as gardening,” Dr. Lea shares.

Set aside at least 10 minutes before an activity to warm up. Engage the muscles you will be using for the activity by performing simple strengthening and stretching exercises that do not put a lot of stress on the muscles and joints.

Use Proper Form and Technique

Muscle and joint pain may also be a result of improper form or technique. Enlisting the help of a professional can be a great way to improve your form and allow you to have better results with less pain.

“For example, if you’re experiencing shoulder or elbow pain from golfing, spending time with a swing coach to work on the mechanics of your swing can be very beneficial,” Dr. Lea shares.

Ease into the Activity

It’s also important to remember that your body can only handle so much. If you haven’t done an activity for a while, don’t try to do too much all at once. Gradually increase the amount of time you spend doing the activity and the frequency at which you do it.

Treating the Pain

If a long night of pickleball has left you sore, the best thing you can do is rest. Follow the “RICE” protocol by resting, icing, using compression and elevating the injury. You can also take over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications such as Aspin or Ibuprofen to help ease the pain.

When to See a Doctor

If you’ve been resting, icing, compressing and elevating and your condition does not improve or worsens within one to two weeks, it’s time to see a doctor. Schedule an appointment with your primary care physician or orthopaedic specialist to have your injury further evaluated. The provider will determine if additional testing is needed and provide a course of treatment. Depending on the injury, treatment may include physical therapy, hydrocortisone injections and/or surgery.