December 13, 2021
The current pandemic we are experiencing has profoundly affected everyone around the globe. The days where we went into the office and talked around the watercooler are now replaced by taking laps around our homes, trying to stave off the monotony of working remotely. We find that days are now becoming similar, performing tasks repetitively over and over again because of the limited options we have to ensure our safety. Our workstations at home may not be ideal (the kitchen counter wasn’t made for eight hours of computer use). With this accumulation of similar tasks, we see that there are similar demands of specific body parts. There may come a point where the muscles that we use consistently throughout the day can no longer meet the demands of our days. This can result in pain. The question now becomes, is the injury due to overuse or is it due to under preparation to perform our repetitive tasks?
When we think of repetitive, overuse injuries it gives the impression that we did something wrong. This isn’t the case! Our bodies are extremely malleable and meant to move in a variety of ways. When looking at the pain experience from an under preparation purview, this paints a more positive picture that we control. Below is a graphic of how our bodies adapt to the demands in our lives and what can happen if we do too much too soon. From the under prepared model, the goal is to raise the floor (our current abilities) of what we can tolerate so we can handle the demands of the ceiling (doing activities as long as we want). So how do we improve our body’s ability to handle more frequent use?
Ability to Adapt Table: The above demonstrates that we have a current ability to meet the demands of our everyday activities (Blue). With this being said, our bodies can also be pushed slightly over our current tolerance and can adapt to this new stimulus (Zone of Adaptation). Now we have a new threshold for activities (orange). When we perform tasks far beyond our current tolerance as well as our ability to adapt, a pain response may occur (Gray).
A lot of factors contribute. This can include the current capacity to handle demands, understanding the required demands, using targeted exercises in a graded manner to help meet the patient’s goals, and recovery. To sum this thought process is a simple math equation:
Performance = Fitness- Fatigue
This equation states that our ability to perform tasks is directly related to our fitness (ability to perform tasks well) and our fatigue (when task performance becomes less than stellar). If we improve our fitness, through activities like walking, biking, and strength training, our muscles will become more resilient, making fatigue less of a factor. This will ultimately allow us to perform our favorite activities longer without thinking about pain. Below is a helpful diagram that explains the relationship between workloads, fitness levels, and injury.
This is where physical therapists thrive. We can help identify aggravating activities, make sense of your pain experience, and create a comprehensive plan to help improve your fitness to meet the demands your activties require of you. This is all intended to get you back to the things you enjoy doing. If you are interested in learning more, schedule a consultation with us today by calling (207)-828-4455.
References
Liebenson, C. (2019). Rehabilitation of the Spine: A Patient-Centered Approach, 3rd Edition (3rd ed.). Wolters Kluwer.
Windt, Johann & Gabbett, Tim. (2016). How do training and competition workloads relate to injury? The workload—injury aetiology model. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 51. bjsports-2016. 10.1136/bjsports-2016-096040.
Author: Brandon Drinan, PT, DPT, CSCS.
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