I often write about this subject because it’s of utmost importance. I have suffered from every one of the injuries mentioned below. And I hope to help everyone of you to avoid my mistakes.
One of the downsides of working out is the potential to get injured. Exercise injuries can delay all your fitness goals if you let them rule your day. And it’s so easy to happen. Over the years I have suffered many types of injuries which were mainly caused by my carelessness and neglecting to follow certain rules. The important thing is to not let them prevent you from working towards your fitness goals.
Types of injuries
There are certain types of injuries that exercisers are especially prone to that are very preventable.
- Sprains and twisted ankles. These can happen very easily – stepping off the sidewalk, walking down a set of stairs, walking, jogging or running when your body is not prepared, stepping on a rock, etc.
- Muscle pull and joint tears. This happened to me when I first started exercising. And even as recently as a year ago I developed plantar fasciitis and was unable to do my preferred cardio (running).
- Falling – My dear sister was doing her morning routine when she fell and seriously injured her shoulder.
- Shin splints – chances are if you are a runner this has happened to you. It’s a throbbing pain or ache in your shins after a run.
- Knees and elbows – needs no explanation.
- Shoulders – These are small muscles at the front, top and back of your shoulders and can cause a lot of discomfort when injured.
- Back – This had me out of commission for weeks.
DOMS ‘Delayed onset muscle soreness’ – This is not considered an injury but a temporary muscle soreness that will go away in a few days. If you are just starting an exercise program for the first time or after a long layoff . . . expect this to happen to you.
Causes of injuries
- Illness – Depending the type of illness you are experiencing it may be wise to not exercise.
- Over working – Leave the ‘no pain no gain’ ethos to the bodybuilders. Exercising tired muscles will surely lead to an injury.
- Lack of focus – Too many things on your mind. Not being in the moment.
- Mental – This ties in with focus. If you are tired, mentally and physically, you should put off your exercises for another time.
- Repetitive motions – One of the down sides of constantly exercising a particular body part – biceps, quads, or shoulders – is a wearing down of the joint cartilage.
How to prevent exercise injuries
Before starting any exercise program, it’s important to get a physical checkup from your primary care team. They will advise you of your current health condition and how much you can exert yourself.
Treat injuries immediately – If you injury yourself for whatever reason don’t wait until it gets worse. Stop doing the movement that caused the injury and seek treatment right away if it is serious. If it’s not serious then go to your next exercise but pay close attention to form and technique.
Hydration – Staying hydrated when exercising is very important. It should be done before, during and after your routines. Your fluids should be of the plain water variety and not sugar laden drinks. You won’t have peaks and valleys when drinking water as you would with sugary drinks.
Rest – I write about this all the time.
Warm-ups – this includes stretching and light cardio. I have been guilty of neglecting this in the past and suffered the consequences.
Use the right form and technique – Do complete range of motions in all your moves. Use a spotter when lifting heavy weights. Remember to do a warm-up set before starting on heavier weights.
Personal Trainer – Always seek out the help of a PT who can guide you through any movements.
Change your routines periodically to prevent repetitive movements.
Minor injuries can be dealt with by resting and giving your body a chance to recover. These can happen whether you are exercising or not.
P.S. I dedicate an entire chapter in my training manual ( ‘How to Prevent Pre-diabetes‘ ) on how to treat specific injuries. You will also learn targeted exercises to lose the jiggly belly, how to eat right for weight loss and much more.