The Record Special Sections Health Quarterly 10-27-2019 | Seite 4

4 ❚ SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2019 ❚ THE RECORD
HEALTH QUARTERLY / ADVERTISING SECTION
FIT FOR LIFE
Injury-free: Build Recovery
Into Your Workout Routine
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3
D onalD T omaszewski , DirecTor
of meDical fiTness aT V alley
H ealTH l ife s Tyles
To further safeguard against
injuries, Grant places great
emphasis on diversity of exercise.
“I like people to be on multiple
machines,” said Grant. “Challenge
your body on many different car-
diovascular machines so different
muscles are used in different
ways. These include bikes, tread-
mills, stair climbers and ellipticals.
Challenge your body with differ-
ent movements and gradually
increase intensity.”
Tomaszewski chose a familiar
saying to illustrate the same
point. “Variety is the spice of life,”
he said. “Cross-training is impor-
tant. Doing different activities and
avoiding repetitive motion will
minimize risk of injury.”
Rest is also essential, added
Grant. “You have to build recov-
ery into your activity,” he said.
“Constant activity without a break
is not as effective.”
Other strategies to avoid
workout injuries include warm-
up periods to gradually increase
heart rate and loosen muscles
and joints, and cool-down peri-
ods – like a 5-10-minute walk
after a workout – to slowly bring
your heart rate back to normal.
Also recommended is stretching
before and after workouts, drink-
ing plenty of water before, during
and after workouts, and dressing
appropriately (for example, a
good pair of running shoes that fit
properly, if you are a runner).
PHOTO COURTESY OF VALLEY HEALTH LIFESTYLES
Members utilize the strength and cardio equipment at Valley Health Lifestyles at the Valley Center
for Health and Wellness where fitness training, sports medicine and rehabilitation programs are offered.
weights or walking on the tread-
mill, you want to get your body
used to it,” said Tomaszewski.
“You should feel some soreness,
but not pain. We focus on the
quality of the workouts first and
add quantity later.”
A gradual build-up is a philoso-
phy also espoused by Reg Grant,
director of human performance at
Holy Name Medical Center. Grant,
who spent 17 years working as a
strength and conditioning coach
of the New York Rangers, said
he is eager to take what he has
learned working with professional
athletes and share it with a wider
audience. A base foundation of
movement and stability, he said,
is essential before intensifying
the workouts. “You build force
on top of mobility and stability,”
said Grant. “If you slowly increase
your ability to use force, you’ll
get used to the resistance you’re
dealing with.”
“Cross-training
is important. Doing
different activities and
avoiding repetitive
motion will minimize risk
of injury.”
Using proper form when lifting weights and under the guidance
of a personal trainer can achieve the desired workout results.
In the event a minor injury does
At Valley Health LifeStyles,
occur, the recovery process can
Tomaszewski said the emphasis is
be expedited with some tried and
“healthcare first, not health club.”
true strategies. Tomaszewski
In addition to exercise equip-
referenced the “RICE” method –
ment, the facility has diagnostic
Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation
imaging, office space, a retail
– for foot or ankle ailments run-
pharmacy, physical therapy and
ners may experi-
ence. He added that
injuries are often
caused by poor
technique, so tak-
ing a step back to
re-emphasize tech-
nique, or perhaps
tweak it if necessary,
can alleviate pain
moving forward.
Staying active,
as opposed to taking
to the couch, can
help injuries heal
PHOTO COURTESY OF HNH FITNESS
quicker, as long
as the injured area
Personal trainer and assistant manager Maxx
isn’t worsened in the Edmiston stretches with a client at HNH Fitness.
process, said Grant.
“You can reduce the stress to
aquatic physical therapy. “There’s
the injured area but keep activ-
a need for it,” he said. “You don’t
ity level going in the areas that
see a lot of 60- or 70-year-olds
are not a problem.” Overall, he
at Gold’s Gym. We appeal to an
emphasizes mobility first and
older, de-conditioned, at-risk
foremost. “Are there things that
population.”
aren’t moving well, like ankles,
Grant said the goal at Holy
knees or hips?” he said. “Always
Name Medical Center is to share
deal with the ability to move first.
expertise that will put people on a
Stabilize the hips, spine and core,
path to being healthier and more
as well as the muscles supporting
active throughout their entire
the core. Start with the core and
lives. “We work to educate people
work toward the periphery.”
about things that will support
More severe injuries should
them against the stresses they
obviously be handled by special-
go through,” he said. “The whole
ists if therapeutic intervention is
idea is to build a strong, resilient
deemed necessary.
support system.”