We know exercise is good for us, but pushing yourself too hard can lead to injury. These include:
- Injuries to your ligaments
- Muscle strains
- Inflammation of your tendons
Some people are more prone to injury than others. For example, those new to fitness training are more liable to injury if they haven’t prepared their bodies for the workouts they take part in. Older people are also susceptible to injuries due to being less agile than they used to be. Care needs to be taken, no matter how old you are, or where you stand on the fitness scale - amateur or professional - so ensure you adhere to the following tips to help you reduce the risk of injury as you exercise.
- Injuries to your ligaments
- Muscle strains
- Inflammation of your tendons
Some people are more prone to injury than others. For example, those new to fitness training are more liable to injury if they haven’t prepared their bodies for the workouts they take part in. Older people are also susceptible to injuries due to being less agile than they used to be. Care needs to be taken, no matter how old you are, or where you stand on the fitness scale - amateur or professional - so ensure you adhere to the following tips to help you reduce the risk of injury as you exercise.
Speak to your doctor
Before starting out on any exercise program, it is advisable to speak to a medical practitioner to make sure you’re healthy enough. This is especially relevant if you have any pre-existing medical conditions. Listen to their advice carefully, and tailor your exercise plan accordingly.
Wear the right gear
This means wearing cushioned trainers to absorb shock while training, perhaps using biopods - see https://biopods.com - to enhance and protect your feet. This means wearing loose and comfortable clothing that will support your movements. And this means wearing the right equipment for your particular exercise program, whatever that might be. Relying on older or inappropriate gear will only further the risk of injury.
Pace yourself
If you’re lifting weights, don’t lift more than you can comfortably manage. If you’re running, don’t commit to a marathon before you can safely make it around the block. If you’re swimming, don’t overdo the number of laps you do. Pace yourself, getting your body used to the exercise you are doing, and then start pushing yourself further incrementally when your body is able to take the pressure.
Warm up before exercise
Don’t jump out of bed in the morning and immediately start your daily run. Don’t start lifting weights without a few warm-up exercises first - check out the techniques at https://www.bodybuilding.com - and don’t begin any exercise when your body is stiff. You need to limber up your body to get your blood flowing and to reduce stiffness. Without warmup, you are likely to cause yourself injury, such as a sprain or a muscle tear.
Get plenty of rest
You need to give the muscles in your body time to recover after a workout, so ensure you focus as much on resting up as you do on your fitness regime. This means stopping exercise when you feel any pain. This means getting plenty of sleep to both mentally and physically prepare you for the next day’s workout - check out our sleep tips at http://www.body-buildin.com. And this means soothing any sore muscles, perhaps with an ice bath or a massage, to speed up recovery.
Vary what you do
If you’re an exercise junkie, you can vary your workouts to give specific muscle groups a rest while you focus on something else. This might be something within your chosen activity, or you might want to do something completely different - swimming rather than running, for example - to prevent boredom and to work out some of the other muscles in your body.
Adhere to these simple principles and you will reduce the risk of injury. Of course, if you do start to struggle, and you do feel any pain at all, stop what you are doing, and see your doctor if the pain you are feeling persists. Then take time to recover and heal, rather than pushing yourself through the pain barrier and increasing the risk of serious injury to your body.
Adhere to these simple principles and you will reduce the risk of injury. Of course, if you do start to struggle, and you do feel any pain at all, stop what you are doing, and see your doctor if the pain you are feeling persists. Then take time to recover and heal, rather than pushing yourself through the pain barrier and increasing the risk of serious injury to your body.