The whole Tahoe region was hit hard with a massive amount of snow during the 2022/2023 winter and everyone learned about this concept, whether they knew it or not. With all the snow shoveling and snow removal, our bodies became tired and beat up. This caused many injuries that were new to the patient, but here in the office, we treated the same injuries on many patients.

So what is tissue tolerance? It is how much activity your body can handle before it breaks down. Every day we do an activity, or even inactivity for some tissues, there is wear and tear on our tissues (muscles, ligaments, etc.). When we sleep and take time away from an activity, this is our recovery time. If we repeat that activity again the next day, there is more wear on those same tissues which would need more recovery time. If we perform that activity without allowing for enough recovery, we are going to cross that line into injury of that tissue. Think of it as charging your phone at the end of the day only up to 75% and then trying to do as much work as a full battery. I cannot understate how critically important the recovery period is. When you give yourself time to recover, you can perform those tasks over and over again for days, months, and even years with no injury. For example, you would not go to the gym every day of the week and repeat the same arm workouts every day. There would not be enough recovery time and at some point, the tissue will fail causing pain and injury. Therefore, when you are shoveling snow day after day (sometimes multiple times a day!), there is not enough time for recovery and the tissues being used will fail, partially due to lack of recovery. This is why many people experience more back, shoulder, or wrist injuries from repetitive activity.

Tissue tolerance applies to many injuries outside of big traumas like a slip and fall or car accident. This can also explain why performing an activity for many years without injury “all of a sudden” becomes a problem as the necessary recovery time becomes longer as we age. Something that once required only one day of recovery, may need two or three as the years pass.

What can you do to combat these types of injuries? First, we already discussed the critical value of allowing your body adequate recovery time. Whether that is time off from an activity or even 15 seconds of stretching every 30 minutes, it is all helpful. Second, there are a few things like movement, medical treatment, nutrition, and/or sleep which can speed up the recovery process. Third, scaling back how much of the problematic activity you are performing can be helpful. This is why diversifying activity or cross training can be a great option.

To help prevent those injuries and promote healing, be proactive with a few suggestions on some of the movement that you can perform. Think about your normal daily routine and stretch or strengthen in the opposite direction from which your body is regularly placed. The best exercises and stretches are the ones that you actually perform. However, I find that when people have too many activities to worry about, they tend to avoid all of them.

The first thing to ask yourself is “what is your typical work activity?” Do you tend to stand, sit, lift, etc. throughout your day? Then the next question to ask is “what is your typical free time activity?” Once you have those “norms” established, we can make a list of areas that need to be prioritized during your training. For example, Tahoe has lots of remote workers who sit for long periods of time. This position tends to have the legs up, rounded back, and head going forward, while sitting on the glutes and hamstrings. Tahoe also has lots of skiers, hikers, and bikers which use the quad and front thigh muscles predominately. If this sounds like you, I would recommend stretching muscles such as the hip flexors, quads, and chest, and strengthening muscles like the hamstrings, glutes, and core. Targeting the stretching to the most used areas, while targeting the strengthening to lesser used areas is an effective training solution to prioritize your needs.

Balance is the key with all activities. When we are pulled in certain directions due to weakness and tight muscles, injuries can happen. Assess your routine and create a list of exercises to be your main focus. Once you have completed those high priority items, add in other movements to build on your foundation and balance your body. Be sure to diversify your training, allow for proper recovery time, and take time off when needed. Following these simple tips can keep you moving as much (and as well) as possible.

Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in the Fall 2024 edition of Healthy Tahoe.