Not too long ago, my husband returned from his Sunday mountain bike ride a little worse for wear. He limped into the bathroom, insisting that he was fine, but when he came out I noticed that he was bleeding from his chin. 

"I'm fine. But I can't really move my jaw," he said.

One x-ray and a few stitches later, he had become an official member of that not so elite group – the sometimes fit, rearing but not really ready to go – the weekend warrior. 

He's in good company. At least one in five emergency room visits result from sport and recreational activities, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Runners, bikers, gym rats, soccer aficionados, overzealous yogis, even backyard gardeners are at risk.

How can we avoid becoming a weekend warrior? I asked Dr. David Geier, Jr., director of sports medicine at the Medical University of South Carolina and a spokesman for the American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine.

"A lot of people want to be active, but they have a hectic lifestyle," Geier said. "One of the things that's dropped first is a daily exercise and maintenance program. They don't routinely train for a sport or activity, then hit it too hard on the weekends."

 "Muscles may be weaker and out of shape," he said. "A lot of people who get fatigued will suffer a traumatic injury that probably wouldn't happen if they had been in better shape." These include such misfortunes as ankle sprains, ACL tears or IT band injury, hamstring or groin strains, and rotator cuff tendonitis and tears. For more information on particular aches, pains, and injuries, check out Dr. Geier's Sports Injury Locator tool.

What do you do if you trip while coming down the mountain or can't get up from downward dog? According to the National Institute of Health, you should call a health professional if:

• The injury causes severe pain, swelling, or numbness.
• You can't tolerate any weight on the area.
• The pain or dull ache of an old injury is accompanied by increased swelling or joint abnormality or instability.

Geier advises that people seek medical help if, for example, a knee catches when running up a hill or if you simply can't perform the way you are used to. He warns that too many of us avoid the doctor because we're afraid of being shut down completely. But such drastic measures are rare. "There is far less harm in being seen and told you don't have to worry. You may just need to alter your routine while rehabilitating. The ultimate goal to get people back into what they want to do."

If you don't have any of the above symptoms, it's probably safe to treat the injury at home. Use the four-step RICE method for at least two days to relieve pain and swelling and to promote healing:

1. Rest. Reduce regular exercise or daily activities as needed. If you cannot put weight on an ankle or knee, crutches may help.
2. Ice. Apply an ice pack to the injured area for 20 minutes at a time, four to eight times a day. To avoid cold injury and frostbite, do not apply the ice for more than 20 minutes. (Note: Do not use heat immediately after an injury. This tends to increase internal bleeding or swelling. Heat can be used later on to relieve muscle tension.)
3. Compression. Compression of the injured area may help reduce swelling. Compression can be achieved with elastic wraps, special boots, air casts, and splints.
4. Elevation. If possible, keep the injured ankle, knee, elbow, or wrist elevated on a pillow, above the level of the heart, to help decrease swelling.

** Always check with a health professional if symptoms worsen.

Best, of course, is to avoid weekend warrior territory altogether. The CDC recommends 30 minutes of physical activity each day, not just Saturday and Sunday. Though it advises that those who have been sedentary or have pre-existing conditions consult first with a health care provider.  If you are overweight, consider beginning with low-impact activities such as swimming, cycling, or walking, in order to put less strain on joints. Though you may not lose weight immediately, a variety of health benefits pour in when you are physically active.           

Geier reminds patients to know the demands for a given sport or activity. Tennis, for example, requires sprinting and side-to-side motion and upper body flexibility, while biking or running may require a stretching program for quads, calves, hamstrings, and groin. Always warm up, include a warm down stretch.  And if you can't do the given activity during the week, do something that simulates it, like biking at the gym or using a treadmill.

My husband is offended when he hears that I've made an example of him. And, to be fair, he often does ride more than once a week. However, here he falls into another risk category: the one-sport wonder. A reliable total fitness program includes aerobic conditioning, muscle strengthening, and flexibility training.

"Not enough people vary up their routines," warned Geier. "To avoid over use, try not to do the same thing over and over again." He recommends things like cross-fit, strength training, martial arts, and boxing to minimize repetitive stress on body parts. 

Though I doubt my husband will shift into yoga gear any time soon, perhaps we'll try a friendly round of kickboxing – on a Tuesday.

For sports injury updates, athletes in the news, and wellness information and advice visit Dr. Geier's website. 

More resources can be found on the National Institutes of Health Sports Injury page.