Here’s Your Warm-Weather Warmup for Healthy Joints & Bones

The outdoor sports season is in full bloom in Cape May County, including everything from tennis, basketball, and beach volleyball to runs along the shore, softball, and, let’s not forget today’s hottest sport—pickleball.
It’s a great time, and a great place, to enjoy spirited competition and get plenty of exercise. The same holds true for advancing health and wellness outside of sports. Whether you’re spending the day shopping at Washington Street Mall, kayaking down Cape Island Creek, exploring the Cape May County Park and Zoo, or enjoying a bike trail—warm-weather fun can help keep you mentally and physically fit. However, just like athletics, these activities can put more stress on your body than you realize. To fully enjoy Cape May County in the spring and summer it’s important to take care of your joints and bones.
Joints and bones keep you mobile. Injuries can be painful and create issues which may sideline you for days or longer. Along with our colleagues, we provide care—including a variety of treatments, therapy, same-day and minimally invasive orthopaedic surgeries, sports medicine services, and more—for patients with varying bone and joint issues.
– Acute, typically caused by a trauma/fall—such as bone fractures, sprains and tears
– Overuse injuries—including inflammation of the joints and wearing down of cartilage
It’s critical for people of all ages and activity levels to take steps to prevent injuries and seek immediate care if an injury occurs. Whether you are into summer leagues and organized sports, enjoy daily beachcombing, or fall anywhere in between, below are some of our top tips and insights to make sure your bones and joints are “in shape” for your seasonal activities.
Avid athletes
We see plenty of sports injuries this time of year. In 2022 and 2023, pickleball has been a big “culprit,” followed by other popular sports including Spikeball® and volleyball. Common injuries from these sports include rotator cuff tears, tendinitis and bursitis in the shoulder, ACL sprains and tears in the knee, hand and wrist sprains and fractures, and “tennis elbow.” Regardless of your sport, you can help avoid common injuries by:
– Avoiding playing for more than two consecutive hours and when a joint is already sore/injured.
– Doing rotator cuff and scapula exercises regularly and warming up properly before playing.
– Stopping activity if you experience pain or soreness in or around a joint. Ice and rest the joint, and take anti-inflammatories as your physician recommends.
– Wearing proper footwear and well-fitting clothes to avoid slips and falls. Make sure your attire does not restrict movement and that playing courts and surfaces are free of debris.
– Seeking care from your primary care provider or a specialist if pain persists for more than a couple of days or gets worse at night.
Activities “out and about”
Whether you are completing home improvement items, trying a new sport, or enjoying a nature walk, every activity can potentially cause bone and joint injuries or issues. Before you start an activity, be sure you can check “yes” on these prevention practices:
– The activity area is free of tripping, slipping, and falling hazards. These are among the most common reasons we see patients for knee, hip, hand, wrist, foot, and ankle injuries or breaks.
– You have an injury-proof plan to avoid situations where you could fall from heights like a rooftop.
– You enlist help to move or carry heavy items.
– You are well rested and have a properly paced plan. You are more likely to injure yourself if you’re rushed, tired, distracted, or otherwise not physically prepared or mentally focused.
– Your bones and joints feel fine. Never “push through” the pain at any level. Instead seek professional care to avoid making the condition worse.
– You’re dressed for safety. This includes wearing well-fitting footwear appropriate for the activity, and knee, wrist, and other pads for activities that have a high potential for falls or impact.
The activities we love in Cape May County offer many benefits, from physical wellness to stress reduction to socializing. So embrace them! And, if you do need treatment, surgery, or another procedure for a joint or bone injury, the Rothman Orthopaedics at AtlantiCare’s compassionate, experienced team is here to get you back to a healthy and active lifestyle.
For more information about Rothman Orthopaedics at AtlantiCare services in the AtlantiCare Health Park, Cape May Court House; AtlantiCare’s same-day, outpatient Center for Orthopaedic Surgery in Egg Harbor Township; the Musculoskeletal Institute at AtlantiCare Regional Medical Center Mainland Campus in Pomona; and other locations, visit www.atlanticare.org/ortho or call 1.888.569.1000.