Have you ever injured yourself in early summer when gardening season kicks off? Or by starting to renovate a room in your house? A possible reason for this occurrence of pain is the wrong dosage.
What is dosage?
Dosage, also called quantification of mechanical stress, is an effective method to prevent many injuries and pains.
The structures of our body such as our bones, cartilages, tendons and muscles adapt according to the load imposed on them. This adaptation can go both ways. That is, if you are sedentary, your structures will lose tolerance. Conversely, by doing physical activity, you increase your body’s tolerance.
An injury can occur when the imposed load exceeds your body’s ability to adapt. In other words, if you suddenly start a new activity or an activity that you haven’t done in a long time, you put yourself at risk of injury. Unfortunately, this is all the more true the older we get.
Here is an example of a beginner runner. He will not start his running career by running a marathon. He will start by doing shorter races and he will gradually increase his distances. It is the same principle that must be applied in our daily activities and our sports.
Physiotherapists are used to recognizing dosage errors and giving advice on how to improve it. They can advise you on how to achieve your goals, whether it’s to be able to garden all summer or to run your first marathon.
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Émilie St-Pierre Robert
Physiothérapeute