Boomer Angst: Active Aging Prone to Injury

As the first wave of baby boomers reached age 60 in 2006, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons launched a campaign to promote awareness of “boomeritis,” which may include a host of musculoskeletal problems such as tendonitis, bursitis, arthritis, and sports-related injuries.

While these conditions are by no means specific to boomers, the group is thought to be especially vulnerable because so many have remained physically active as they’ve aged.

Playing it safe, staying in condition year round, and properly treating injuries when they do occur are keys to staying in the game for the long haul, according to Duke orthopaedic surgeons David Attarian, MD, FACS, and Samuel David Stanley, MD.

Here are their recommendations:


Weekend warriors need weeklong upkeep. They’re more prone to injury in general, says Attarian. “Someone sits at a desk all week, decides to go out and run a marathon for a good cause, then wonders why everything hurts! People should do something for their fitness on a regular basis. There ought to be some level of ongoing aerobic training, for example, even if it’s just walking.” Stanley adds, “You need to resume activity slowly, increase it slowly or


Stretching it. “There’s a big debate about how important stretching really is,” says Attarian. “I’m still of the belief that maintaining your flexibility does reduce your risk of injury. Most professional athletes swear by their flexibility training. If nothing else, it improves their performance. There’s no debate, however, on the importance of warming up before vigorous activity. For example, a brisk five-to-10-minute walk helps warm and loosen up the muscles, reducing injury risk.



Don’t go against the grain. RICE -- Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation -- is still your best bet in the immediate wake of an injury. Seek help right away if there’s numbness or loss of function in a limb or extremity. “If you’re able to walk, for example, even if you’re limping a bit, you can probably be seen in a day or two,” says Attarian.



Rapid rehab? “With all the advances in physical therapy and surgical techniques, people are recovering more quickly, and their outcomes are much better,” says Attarian. “There’s good data to show that people tend to recover more quickly when they start a dedicated physical therapy program,” affirms Stanley, but he cautions people to be patient and realistic in their expectations. “There’s a big physiologic difference in the recuperative powers of someone in their 20s versus people in their 40s and beyond. If you go back too soon and aren’t ready, you can re-injure yourself and make the condition worse.”


When “Boomeritis” Needs Surgical Evaluation
Planting a few azalea shrubs or hitting some tennis balls may seem innocuous enough, but for the aging weekend warrior, repetitive stress or new trauma can be more than just bothersome. While the vast majority of injuries represent strains of large muscle groups and will heal with time, some require urgent attention to avoid long-term functional impairment.

According to David S. Ruch, MD, director of orthopaedic hand surgery at Duke, there are some signs that warrant surgical evaluation:


Significant deformity. Most significant injuries to the musculoskeletal system are painful, so pain alone may not be the best indicator, but deformity is usually apparent to both patient and physician.



Absence of function. Many patients say that they can't move an injured joint, but when really pressed, they are able to move the affected part even though the motion is limited by discomfort. There is a real difference between unwillingness and true inability to move a joint. If there is true inability to move an injured extremity or digit, then there is a real problem that needs immediate attention.



Extensive bruising. Many times a musculoskeletal injury will result in some joint swelling that may go away on its own. But the presence of a large hematoma or significant bruising along the course of a muscle or tendon generally indicates a more serious trauma that may require orthopaedic intervention.


Attarian and Stanley expanded Duke orthopaedics into the Durham community with clinics at North Duke Street and Southpoint. kirtblack 491 days ago