It is a common knowledge that both ligaments and muscles are prone to wear and tear whenever they are stressed when performing certain activities. This is very particular when one is exposed to unusually higher stress level that could result to either short or long term injury. While ligament and muscle injuries are attributed to strenuous physical activities, it is quite surprising to know that inactivity could also produce the same result.
Living a sedentary lifestyle that seldom gives the muscles and ligaments in the body adequate movement and exercise can also result to damage and injury to these structures. Hence it is necessary that in order to keep these structures working and maintain its healthy condition, the ligaments and muscles should be exposed to sufficient levels of stress for better functioning.
The following are common injuries and level of damage that occur as a consequence of inactivity or living a sedentary lifestyle:
- Paralysis occurs whenever the ligaments and muscles are not able to carry its function more efficiently by failure to help them workout through movements.
- Immobilization could cause the muscles to shrink in size, a condition called muscle wasting with resulting muscle weakness.
- Becoming sedentary does not give the muscles and ligaments much opportunity to perform and function thereby causing it to be less efficient. It can also lead to obesity, hypertension, deconditioning and poor fitness and health condition.
- Engaging in a strenuous activity can cause the injury to the muscles and ligaments because of overuse and stress imposed that is beyond the capacity of the structures to withstand.
- Prolonged use of the muscles and ligaments that expose it to strenuous activities results to a condition called progressive overload that push the structures beyond its limit with repetitive use making the ligaments and muscles becoming fragile and prone to injury.
The most common factor that could cause damage and injury to the muscles and ligaments are overuse and stress that could affect at varying degrees individuals with different age. Muscles and ligaments require reasonable stress and activities to keep them strong and healthy but one should be careful not to impose them on these structures beyond their limits to avoid injury, damage and loss of function. Giving the muscles and ligaments some rest is necessary to help the structures recuperate and heal by themselves in order to be functional again.
