Weekend athletes: the pros and cons of this practice

According to a study carried out by Massachusetts General Hospital (United States), practicing on weekends protects you from the risk of developing 264 diseases in the future. According to the data, this habit can be as effective for this protection as physical exercise spread throughout the day. The problem is that, according to the World Health Organization (), at least 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week are recommended to stabilize the general, and many people end up overdoing it to compensate for a sedentary lifestyle with just two days full of activities.

For Dr. Pedro Soneghet Gomes, orthopedist and sports traumatologist, this could be a worrying factor from the point of view of orthopedic injuries, as the number of so-called weekend athletes has increased alarmingly, following the number of occurrences. “In fact, the pattern of behavior here is that of ‘irregular physical activity’, as it characterizes the individual who is not in the muscular condition to prevent . It is a risk factor at any time that an unprepared person wishes to engage in a sporting event.” The specialist says that knee injuries are the most common. “Along with ankle injuries, tendonitis, bruises and muscle strains. Often, just in the form of ‘pain’ that doesn’t require an episode of trauma or sprain to appear, like when we ‘get it wrong’”, he highlights.

According to Gomes, the most common complaint in the office is “knee pain” — generally a non-specific pain, with no episode of trauma that the patient remembers. “I carry out the physical examination to investigate the possible cause and, if necessary, request an imaging test”, he points out. Other common complaints are bending or spraining the knee, pain during the range of movement, the perception that the lower limb is “bending” and the feeling that the patella is about to come out or has already come out of place.

There is still a scenario of misinformation regarding emergency care, according to the doctor. “In the Emergency Room, it is very common to see sprains, both ankles and knees, falls, trauma to the hands and upper limbs. Often, patients go to the ER just to receive analgesic medications for chronic pain, such as low back pain, an extremely common complaint. The ideal for the patient is to know that the emergency room would be the place reserved for care for trauma and intense pain. More chronic pain should be investigated on an outpatient basis, with specialists in each area”, he indicates.

Of course, there are exceptions where injuries occur that, unfortunately, lead directly to surgery. Especially in the case of weekend athletes, sports injuries to the knee that undergo surgery are usually tears of the ligaments and menisci. Recovery time depends on the surgery that was performed and the patient’s rehabilitation.

There is no right age for problems to appear

According to the sports traumatologist, the patient should be concerned when pain arises that is causing difficulties for him in his daily life, whether he is a child or an elderly person. “Pain or functional loss may result from some trauma that caused damage to ligaments and other structures, resulting from an error in the biomechanics of the patient’s movement. It could be because of the exercise overload, it could be because of body weight and many other reasons”, he explains.

People need to be willing to seek out a specialist whenever any discomfort is taking a long time to go away, be it pain, weakness, lack of firmness in a limb or another sensation that is different from normal. Appeared after a well-defined episode (such as a trauma, a sprain, a session of prolonged and/or intense physical activity) or without an apparent reason that caused the symptom (a tingling that has appeared from time to time, noticeable loss of strength, sensation cramps or tiredness), sometimes just good guidance will be the ideal treatment to return to quality of life.

The doctor knows that it is very difficult to be 100% protected from injuries, after all, accidents happen. “But I must recommend adequate body awareness, joint mobility and muscular capacity, which are extremely important for anyone in any situation.” That’s why regular physical activity is so essential, respecting the body’s adaptation phases. And, after a while of assiduity, the right thing to do is for the person to feel as if they were always ready to “move”. “In orthopedics, we know that muscle mass helps absorb the impacts to which bones are subjected, and can even prevent some fractures due to trauma. Joint mobility can prevent ligament injuries, stiffness after physical activity, strains and muscle tears. Movement is part of joint health, cartilage depends on the correct stimulus to stay nourished”, teaches Gomes.

Weekend athletes: how to avoid risks?

If a person still wants to do physical activity on the weekends, some tips are important to avoid injuries. Check it out!

• Start with light or moderate exercise;
• Do not exceed your body’s limits;
• Stay hydrated;
• Avoid intense activities under the strong sun;
• Do not consume alcoholic beverages before exertion;
• Eat fruits, juices and carbohydrates to maintain adequate glucose levels;
• Get a medical evaluation before starting training.