Exercise injuries are common when people start making exercise a habit. More than 19% of fitness people are injured during CrossFit training. The number goes up to 79% when it comes to track and field injuries. Exercise injuries include stress fractures, tendinitis, muscles tears, and shin splints. It is possible to exercise safely so that you achieve your dream body without ache and strains. Exercise injuries start becoming a risk when we get older. We become less agile as we lose bone and muscle mass.
Practical Ways To Prevent Exercise Injuries.
Talk To The Professionals.
Speak to your family doctor before starting any exercise program. Doctors will be able to advise on your fitness level and which exercise you can start with. There are no one-size-fits-all exercises. Exercise should be customized to accommodate any limitations or medical conditions.
Start With Low-impact Exercises.
Low impact exercises are exercises where at least one of your feet remains in contact with the ground. These include walking, hiking, and light cardio workouts. High impact exercise on the other hand is when both your feet leave the ground. These exercises include running, hopping, jumping rope, and jumping jacks. When you are new to exercising perfecting low impact exercise may help you prevent injuries. Start with low impact exercises and gradually ease into high impact ones.
Learn The Proper Technique.
Always remember this: Proper form comes before speed. Before you start with any exercise, learn the proper form first. When you are doing strength or balance exercises, it may be wise to get a personal trainer to guide you. If you can’t afford a personal trainer, take some time to educate yourself on the proper form via online courses or videos.
Buy The Proper Exercise Gear.
Get a pair of comfortable training shoes that can support you during workouts. For runners get proper running shoes. Many retailers do have an extra service to test how you land on the ground. They will advise about the correct running shoes for you. Make sure you also get proper and comfortable clothing which gives your room to breathe.
Always Warm-Up.
Muscles that are not warmed up are at risk of getting injured. A proper warm-up will improve blood flow to the muscles and reduce stiffness. Warming up before workouts will reduce the chance of exercise injuries. Start with dynamic stretches (marching in place or arm circles) for about 5 minutes. Include static stretches (holding a position) for about two to four minutes.
Hydrate.
Exercising makes us lose a lot of essential fluids. Our bodies need to be properly fuelled and hydrated to carry out exercises. Drinking water (not a lot) before your start exercising is good practice. You can also take a few sips while exercising and make sure your drink water after your workout.
Mix Up Your Workouts And Cool Down.
Many exercise injuries are caused by focusing on one type of exercise always. Mixing up your exercise routine will help you build an overall strong body and prevent injuries. If you are running, add strength training workouts to your routines so that you can work out other muscles. Finish all your sessions with a slow walk or a gentle stretch for your body to cool down after hectic sessions.
Always Side With Caution.
When it comes to training, always side with caution.
Not feeling well?
It is raining?
It is too dark?
You are nursing an injury?
These may be signs to skip your workout as you might get injured or make the exercise injury worse. Put your wellbeing first, that workout will not be worth it. Stop when the pain gets unbearable.
Making exercise a habit should be fun and enjoyable. Having a plan of action on how to prevent exercise injuries will help you to stay safe. The rule of thumb is to listen to your body. Even you push yourself out of your comfort zone. Do not overdo it and over-train your body. Stay safe and continue working towards the body of your dreams!