Tips to Avoid Summer Ailments Like Tendonitis and Tennis Elbow BY JARETT C. BIES, AVERA HEALTH
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onths of time indoors give way to warmth and overwhelming desires to run, jump, get those chores done and then next thing you know – ouch, that really hurts! Sometimes these come with age, or our golf/fishing/tennis technique is offbase. But injuries to our joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons do pop up more in the summer. “When we overdo it without proper ‘prehab’ or stretching, injuries can happen, and golfer’s or tennis elbow, along with tendonitis in the shoulders, knee or quadriceps – we see all of them more this time of year,” said Matthew Blake, MD, a sports medicine and orthopedic surgery specialist with Avera Orthopedics. “Part of it is our day-to-day activity, as more of us sit in front of computers, with our shoulders hunched. Some of it comes with age. But there are some steps we can take to avoid – or treat – these conditions.”
Stretching and Practice Almost everyone benefits when they take some time to warm up or build up their ability before going full-tilt into a run, workout or the heavy lifting that goes with around-the-house chores. “There are exercises that can help strengthen our joints and roll out the function of joints like the shoulder, knee and elbow,” said Blake. “Sometimes, with sports like golf or tennis, our grip or
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