Photo By Maj. Gretel Weiskopf | A packed weight room at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay's Denich Gym is a good sign...... read more read more
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By Gretel Sharpee
Joint Task Force Guantanamo
GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba - It's fall on U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay, the air is ever-so-slightly less humid and the sun doesn't burn as hot as merely a month ago, making outside team sport activities a great way to pass the time.
Flag football games, countless volleyball tournaments, soccer games and fun runs can be seen most evenings here in Gitmo, but what is the one thing that can turn that fun into something that can affect your performance as a trooper? An injury.
"It's [Physical Readiness Test] season as well as flag football season," said the Joint Task Force Guantanamo and Naval Station Physical Therapist. "On a regular basis I see a lot of low back pain, shoulder pain/dislocation as well as knee pain."
It can be the loud pop you hear when landing on your ankle wrong or the finger that instantly throbs after connecting with a volleyball – whatever the injury, large or small, once it happens in can take weeks or months to heal and maybe even keep you from completing your mission at work.
"[Troopers] should train for the sports they play. Pro football players lift weights not to get 'big muscles' but to be in the best condition they can be to prevent injuries."
Along with recommending a weight training program, the base physical therapist also recommends stretching before and after each activity and listening your own body's limits. This means paying attention to if you feel dehydrated or over-exerted, as well as if you are in the right condition to play at the level of intensity the sport requires.
However, when an injury does occur or if you notice a persistent pain with normal everyday activities, the base physical therapist encourages troopers to seek medical attention.
"Don't be afraid to come in. Often times the longer you wait to be seen, the longer rehabilitation takes," commented the base physical therapist. "But once an injury has occurred always remember RICE: Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation."
The slightly cooler weather may bring more troopers outside to have fun, just make sure "the fun" doesn't keep you from completing your mission.
| Date Taken: | 10.24.2008 |
| Date Posted: | 10.28.2008 12:22 |
| Story ID: | 25645 |
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| Web Views: | 132 |
| Downloads: | 117 |
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