Did you know certain medications can affect your risk of injury and rate of recovery? Did you know smoking significantly slows down your body’s ability to heal after injury? Some of these may sound obvious when said aloud, but they are often forgotten about and sometimes neglected when discussing an injury rehab plan. Here are four of the most common, often forgotten factors that can increase your risk of injury or delay your recovery from injury:
Smoking:
Impairs bone health: Elderly smokers are 30% to 40% more likely to break their hips than their non-smoking counterparts, indicating a significant negative influence on bone health.
Increases the risk of muscle and joint problems: Smokers are much more likely to develop overuse injuries such as bursitis and tendinitis/tendinopathy. They are also more likely to strain a muscle, sprain a ligament, or suffer from back pain.
Reduces muscle recovery from exercise: Smoking impairs the muscles’ ability to recover after exercise.
Slows down healing of muscle and skin injuries: Smoking reduces the rate at which muscles and skin heal when injured.
Increases post-surgery complications: Smokers face a higher rate of complications, including poor wound healing and infections, compared to non-smokers.
2. Certain Medications:
Statins: Studies have linked statins, a cholesterol-lowering medication, with impaired tendon health and an increased risk of tendon injury.
Corticosteroids: While corticosteroids can provide pain relief by reducing inflammation, long-term use has been shown to negatively affect tendon strength, leading to a higher future risk of injury.
Certain antibiotics: Some antibiotics have been shown to increase the risk of tendon injury and reduce athletic performance in certain individuals.
3. Vitamin D
Impact on injury risk: Reduced vitamin D levels may increase the risk of stress fractures, muscle injuries, and certain illnesses.
4. Sleep Quality
Injury risk: Lack of sleep and poor sleep hygiene have been associated with a significant increase in injury risk in adolescents. This likely remains true beyond adolescence, given how important sleep is for almost every aspect of our physical and psychological health.
Overall health: Poor sleep quality is linked to an increased risk of type-II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and overall mortality.
When dealing with a chronic or recurring injury, be sure to think outside the box and consider all possible contributing factors. Although some risk factors are not modifiable (e.g. age), others can certainly be changed, including those listed above. Some solutions are obvious (e.g. creating a plan to quit smoking, getting more sunlight), while others may be more complex and require guidance from a health professional.
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