Baby Boomers Battle Sports Injuries - Brief Article

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), April, 2000

Having a sports injury almost has become a rite of passage for many baby boomers. Those individuals are slowly realizing that they cannot always turn back the clock and avoid injury.

In fact, many boomers are getting mixed messages that exercise and staying active are the keys to maintaining youth. "Although exercise is essential for healthy aging, engaging in certain exercise and fitness programs can bring its own set of problems, especially if age-related changes have occurred in baby boomers' joints and tendons," warns Nicholas A. DiNubile, clinical assistant professor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.

"Many baby boomers have a `weak link' that makes them prone to injury," he notes. "A `weak link' can be an old injury, age-related structural change, or genetic predisposition. We need to educate baby boomers about what their `weak link' might be and how to engage in more sensible exercise programs that will not cause them unnecessary injuries or problems."

In the years to come, aging baby boomers are expected to help keep physicians in business partly due to the fact that most boomers are more active than the generations that preceded them. People over 35 years old are increasing their participation rate in nearly all of the sports and fitness activities reported by the National Sporting Goods Association. "We need to start addressing boomers' special medical needs now to help them prepare for the future," DiNubile indicates.

The most common type of injuries that occur to baby boomers are often the result of years of overuse to the musculoskeletal system, old injuries that recur, the normal wear and tear of tendons and joints, or muscle loss associated with aging. Orthopedic ailments such as tendinitis, bursitis, and arthritis are common among baby boomers, DiNubile points out. "There is a fourth `itis' that should be added to this particular patient population--`fix-meitis'--[since] baby boomers are desperate to resume activity as soon as possible after being injured.

"Stiff joints, aching muscles--many of these `aging pains'--are actually due to repeated stresses and overuse. Quite often, we find that baby boomers have participated in a sports activity years ago as a young adult and think that they can resume the same activity in their 40s or 50s without any modifications." For example, boomers think they can lift weights similar to how they used to in their 20s. "They do not realize that now their shoulder or rotator cuff are much more vulnerable to injury due to the normal aging process."

Exercise programs need to be tailored to meet baby boomers' special needs, DiNubile emphasizes. "Individuals with bad backs should try walking instead of a rowing machine. If they suffer from arthritis, swimming or cycling are a good alternative to running. An existing condition does not mean they can not exercise. Their exercise programs just need to be modified."

He stresses that it is especially important for baby boomers to prepare their bodies properly before beginning any new activities. "Your body is a lot different than it was in your 20s. Engaging in simple warm-up and stretching exercises prior to working out is an important first step. And remember, exercise is essential to healthy living."

Meanwhile, new approaches to treating injuries are permitting baby boomers to lead a healthier lifestyle. Advances in cell therapy are enabling orthopedic surgeons to repair cartilage damage in knees and other joints. The future will allow orthopedists to identify growth factors to stimulate the regeneration of damaged muscle, bone, cartilage, and ligaments. "These new treatment options are a promising new concept for future treatment of sports-related injuries," DiNubile suggests.