Summer is the time of year when days are best spent outside and being active. Regardless of the warmth all year around, Florida summer seems to bring the inner athlete out in all of us. The goal of a perfect beach body drives us to more outdoor physical activities such as jogging, biking, and playing team sports like tennis or pickle ball. Unfortunately, with increased activity and an increase in the heat comes an increased risk of injury and accidents!
It is important as we age to keep in mind the impact our muscles take in our daily activities. Physicians Regional Medical Group’s, Foot and Ankle Orthopedic Surgeon, Dr. Christina Kabbash, M.D., warns that summer injuries are more common than we realize especially as we age.
“Around age 50, muscle fibers begin to lose their functionality,” Dr. Kabbash states, “Muscle loss doesn’t usually impact daily life until around age 70. While we can’t stop muscle loss, we can delay the age of onset and slow the rate. This is why it is so important to move and exercise daily.”
Some of the best sports older adults can practice that are easy on muscles and joints are swimming/water aerobics, stationary biking and outdoor cycling, walking, and yoga. Staying hydrated and applying sunscreen are crucial when playing summer sports. Too often dehydration causes water loss and electrolyte imbalance, leading to injury and with the strong Florida sun, sunburns happen fast! It is important to constantly reapply sunscreen because most gets removed with a sweat towel or just drip off with the sweat on your skin resulting in sunburns or even sun poisoning.
One of the most common injuries Dr. Kabbash sees in the office are broken wrists and ankles from balance issues. This could be caused from aging of the nervous system, medications, or even something easily fixed like dehydration. Remember not all injuries come from sports! Something as simple as slipping on wet garage floors from the summer rain can lead to a broken arm.
“I recommend all active older adults wear wide-soled cushion stability shoes with arch supports that cradle the heel,” Dr. Kabbash recommends, “but, if you must wear flip flops, then well fitted ones that grip to the foot and do not slide around when wet or sweaty are the best ones!”
Dr. Kabbash also recommends an adequate warm up before playing any type of bouncing or impact sport to get the blood flowing and warm up the muscles and tendons. Incorporating daily stretching routines or yoga into your day can also be beneficial for the longevity of your muscles.
Preventing injuries is key, but if an injury does occur, Rest Ice Compress and Elevate (RICE) for the first 72 hours. Medications like Advil, Aleve, ibuprofen can be helpful for treating and controlling inflammation if it is okay for you to take them without interfering with any other medications. If the swelling is not resolved within 24 hours, or you cannot use the injured hand, arm, leg, etc., then you should seek help from a medical professional.
Dr. Kabbash is located at Physicians Regional – Pine Ridge Medical Office Building at 6376 Pine Ridge Rd., Naples, FL 34119. To schedule an appointment, please call 239-348-4221 or visit PhysiciansRegionalMedicalGroup.com.