Even those who don’t miss work can be affected
The term "weekend warrior" is catchy and perhaps even a bit humorous, but there’s nothing funny about the impact their activities can have not only on their health but also on their work performance. Just what is a weekend warrior? "My definition is someone who is normally fairly sedentary during the week because of work or other commitments, and then on the weekends cuts loose with an excess of physical activity," says Jonathan Chang, MD, FACSM, clinical assistant professor at the University of Southern California, Los Angeles, and Western University in Pomona, CA. Chang also is a member of the Olympics Sports Medicine Society.
These individuals tend to pay the price for their sporadic sports activities in terms muscle soreness, joint aches and pains, and frequent sports injuries that show up in the doctor’s office, he adds. "Beyond the usually significant aches and pains, the other conditions that may show up in the office are acute injuries, because these people are out of shape or too fatigued [to participate in sports properly]," He adds. "These include ligament sprains, cartilage tears, some fractures, rotator-cuff problems in the shoulder area, and all of the overuse syndromes we tend to get in every other part of our bodies."
Impact can vary
So the impact on a weekend warrior’s work life can vary widely, but none of it is insignificant. "For someone who does the same activity every day, such as sitting at a desk, and decides to play in a volleyball tournament on the weekend, that kind of person can’t get out of bed the next day," notes Chang.
How much work can they miss for minor injuries? "It’s kind of injury-specific," he allows, "but for those people who have more active jobs that require lifting or who are on their feet a lot, if they are not in shape and participate in weekend athletic activities in the way we’re describing, they will often miss one or two days of work depending on the injury."
And even if an employee is not actually out of work, their weekend activities still can impact their performance and productivity. "Let’s just take a warehouse worker who has to lift 40- to 50-pound boxes all day long. If he plays a lot of basketball on the weekend, how much will he be able to lift?" Chang posits. "The effects could last for several days."
Despite the media attention that has been devoted to weekend warriors, the number of employees who continue this type of activity does not seem to be decreasing, he says. "There’s a lot of information out there warning people of its evils, but either they don’t take advice very well or they really are that busy."
Some of these individuals can be reached if you simply offer some kind of preventive program, says Chang. "If you have an in-house program, you have a better opportunity," he notes. "If your company or hospital takes physical fitness seriously, a gym is a very proactive way to do it."
He notes that with the cost of health care rising once again, large companies are doing all they can to keep employees healthy. "See if your company will apply preventive measures that can result in a healthier, more efficient and more productive work force," he offers.
With company programs, you have a little more control than if you simply relied on the individual employee, Chang says. "Inside a company, you can use peer pressure as well — particularly if your boss is participating," he explains. Some employers, especially warehouse companies, have told employees that if they participate in a half-hour supervised, timed workout, they will be paid for that time. "This is a win-win situation," he says. Stretching programs also can help, but they are a tough sell. "Everyone is so rushed in this country that they just don’t want to do it, even though as we get older, everyone gets stiffer," Chang observes.
Education is key
Ironically, he says, the most important element is also the most difficult. "Education is the first thing you should do," Chang says, while noting that participation in such programs is often low. "Still, I’m not saying you shouldn’t make the attempt," he advises. "You will reach some people. In occupational health, the more a program is pushed by the employers, the more employees you get — it has to come from the top."
In terms of interventions, they should be company-specific, says Chang. "For telecom companies — since most everyone at the worksite sits on their butts — you tend to get carpal tunnel syndrome and tennis elbow," he observes. "These companies want to emphasize more upper extremity stretching, rather than endurance training or strength training."
If you have a warehouse company, however, your employees need bigger, stronger muscles, as well as increased endurance. "These people need weight rooms and barbells," Chang says.
If, despite your best efforts, a weekend warrior comes down with an injury, occupational health professionals can still make a bad situation better, says Chang. "Yes, you can shorten the natural history of an injury if the employee is given anti-inflammatory meds, and their work is modified so as to not aggravate the injury," he notes. "And physical therapy modalities can improve the pain they are having. It’s similar to the whiplash you get in car accident; if it is treated correctly, it all goes away. Instead of being out four to six weeks, the employee can be out two to three weeks."
{For more information, contact: Jonathan Chang, MD, FACSM, 500 N. Garfield Ave., Suite 204, Monterey Park, CA 91754. Telephone: (626) 571-6658.]
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