Carle Richland Memorial Hospital Orthopedic provider, Trenton Clapp, PA-C, offers participants a few words of
advice to manage their health prior to and during the event. Participating in such an event takes many weeks and months of training to be sure your muscles and joints are prepared for the swimming, biking and running a triathlon requires.“While I am always happy to treat athletes who come to me for joint or muscle injuries, it’s best practice to listen to your body and avoid them all together,” Clapp said.
Clapp suggests the following tips to help athletes be tri-ready. These tips are also helpful for anyone training for any upcoming race or other endurance event.
- Make sure to properly warm up and cool down
- Incorporate cross training – change up your training; biking, swimming and elliptical are lower impact activities lessening the risk of overuse injuries
- Gradually increase training times, distances and weights
- Allow time to recover while training and after the race which includes ample sleep
- Stay hydrated and be sure to eat a balanced diet
- Listen to your body - back off if you start to have discomfort
- Don’t forget strength training, including core strengthening exercises
If you do find yourself with muscle or joint issues post-event, Clapp is always happy to see new patients at his Carle Olney office on Rt. 130, but is hopeful for a safe and healthy event for all athletes.
“The orthopedic team is always happy to help fellow athletes with any injuries they may acquire during the course of training or event participation. It’s best to get them checked out sooner rather than later so they can be addressed and treated before they become more severe or leave a long-term impact,” Clapp said.
Good luck to all White Squirrel Triathlon participants, and to everyone working to train and meet their wellness and fitness goals!
Categories: Staying Healthy, Community