By keeping your body hydrated you can prevent injuries, boost immune system and enjoy good health. Hydration can also help in reducing muscle fatigue and reduce the risk of injury. Musculoskeletal injuries caused by dehydration can be painful, affect your performance if you are an athlete and compromise your daily life tasks. Here are three things you NEED to know.
1. What is Dehydration?
Dehydration is when you lose more fluid than you take in, so this can cause harmful reduction in the amount of water in the body.
As summer approaches stay hydrated. Staying hydrated not only boosts your immune system, but it can help you preventing some other injuries as well. Losing even 1 percent of your bodies water can put you at an increased risk for illness and injury
In this blog, we will be looking at different aspects of dehydration and how it will cause musculoskeletal injury.
2. Symptoms of Dehydration
Some major symptoms of dehydration include:
• Dryness of the tongue, mouth and lips
• Dry skin
• Reduced energy or tiredness
• dark yellow and strong-smelling urine
• A sudden decline in strength ,mood or the ability to make decisions
Many people don't know that dehydration affects the muscles as well.
3. Dehydration and Musculoskeletal Injuries
Dehydration can lead to following injuries
• Cramps: Your risk of heat cramps increases when you aren't properly hydrated(drink water, electrolytes), when you sweat heavily during workouts and your body loses water during physical activity then your muscles become tense, causing cramps. Heat cramps are most common in the abdomen, back, arms, or legs
• Joint friction: Joint pains can also be caused by Dehydration because of the lubricating effect water has on the joints. This water cushions your bones when they bear weight or pressure. Dehydration can deprive your cartilage of the water it needs to maintain this cushion, which can lead to osteoarthritis and "creaking" joints . It's estimated that 60 – 80% of your joint cartilage consists of water.
• Heat exhaustion: Dehydration can also cause heat exhaustion. Sudden increase in body temperature can cause heat exhaustion. You can become lazy, tired, and effect ability to make quality decisions.
• Cartilage wear: Hydrated cartilage is soft and smooth. During cartilage wear injury taking water and electrolytes help in repairing injury itself . Water and electrolytes are essential to delivering nutrients that help cartilage repair itself when it's injured.
Dehydration & Musculoskeletal Injuries treatment:
If you think you're suffering from dehydration or an Musculoskeletal injury, make an appointment with your Primary Care Physician today.