Meet the Experts

Dr. James Jennings

Family Medicine Physician with Baptist Health Primary Care

Videos

Weekend Warrior Experience

Doctor James Jennings, Family Medicine Specialist at Baptist Health Primary Care, explains Weekend Warriors are the people who cram all of their physical activity into weekends, because their lifestyle is overwhelmed during the week by their job. Dr. Jennings says he motivates his patients to do anything they can, because, there is no bad exercise or activity program. He recommends not to be afraid to initiate something that could be easy to do over a weekend for just a couple of hours.

Nutrition And Exercise

Doctor James Jennings, Family Medicine Specialist at Baptist Health Primary Care, recommends to have a small meal prior the workout for receiving the benefits of the exercise. When exercising early in the mornings with an empty stomach, Doctor Jennings explains, the person has a risk to suffer from hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), has no energy and therefore will not get the benefits of the exercise. Nutrition is the fuel lines, the key. Try to eat early. It is important to have a good breakfast, a snack throughout the day with healthy foods including fruits and nuts. The idea is not eating a lot at nighttime before going to bed, he says.

Recovering After Exercising

Doctor James Jennings, Family Medicine Specialist at Baptist Health Primary Care, reflects on how much time should be dedicated to the recovery of muscles after an intense weekend warrior session and says that's depend of the intensity of the exercise. Hydration, resting and eating a good and healthy meal help the process of recovery, he says. The specialist recommends not exercising always all or the same muscles and alternating routine and body parts helps to recover faster after a Weekend Warrior.

Injuries And Achilles Tendon

Injuries are more prone to people who have not exercised for months or even years according to Doctor James Jennings, Family Medicine Specialist at Baptist Health Primary Care, who adds that for these reasons the injuries can be more serious. The doctor also explains rupture of the Achilles Tendon (the tendon that joins the heel bone to the calf muscle) is one of the most common injuries and, sometimes, requires surgery, be in a boot and be out of action for probably even a few months. Fortunately the recovery of the patient is close to 100%, the specialist affirms.

Most Common Injuries

Lower back injuries, knees and shoulders are the top-three injuries that can occur after a Weekend Warrior session, Doctor James Jennings, Family Medicine Specialist at Baptist Health Primary Care, says. He explains injuries can put a person down for a period of time. If the patient suffers from a lower back pain, the specialist doesnâ€™t recommend to practice running, cross fit or similar. Core training is the baseline of being able to do a lot of different activities and the doctor recommends keeping the core strong with exercises like swimming or yoga to prevent back pain.

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