Can you relate to this scenario? After putting it off for
too long, you commit to Get Fit-only to find yourself
injured the minute you start working out. All of the sudden
your fitness goals go back on the shelf and you are left to
deal with the pain.
Whether your injury occurs right off the bat or after years
of regular workouts the result is always the same. It is
discouraging, painful and downright depressing. And since
studies suggest that up to 38% of all exercisers suffer
from an injury each year, it is a subject worth exploring.
Top 3 Workout Injuries
The following three ailments occur commonly among active
people. Let's explore the cause of each and then detail
your very own injury prevention plan-because let's face it,
you simply don't have time to spend nursing and injury (and
losing all that progress you had made).
1. Strain / Pulled Muscle: occurs when a tendon (connects
muscle to bone) or muscle is stretched or torn. If you
suffer from a strain you will feel pain and swelling in the
muscle belly, or loss of function if the strain occurred in
a tendon. Many strains occur as the result of an improper
warm-up and insufficient stretching.
2. Sprain: occurs when a ligament (connects bone to bone)
is stretched or torn. While this can happen to any ligament
in your body, the most common placements of sprains are in
the ankle, wrist and knee. Often this injury will happen
suddenly as the ligament is stretched beyond its normal
limit, usually during a fall or other acute trauma.
3. Low Back Pain: it is said that 80% of the population
will experience back pain at some point in their lives-and
the list of causes is as diverse as the sufferers
themselves. Here are the main reasons for workout related
back pain:
* Improper form: Similar to bad posture, using improper
form while performing weight bearing exercises will leave
your back sore and aching. The good news is that once your
form is corrected this pain should subside after a healing
period.
* Weak muscles: If you have a desk job then chances are
your deep back muscles are inactive and unconditioned. When
you start an exercise program, but fail to properly
strengthen these muscles, the result is often an aching
back.
* Strained muscles: Not to pick on that desk job, but
another result of sitting all day is tight back muscles.
When these muscles are not properly warmed up and stretched
before exercise begins, muscle strains occur.
Your 5-Step Injury Prevention Plan
Injuries don't have to slow you from meeting your fitness
goals. The following 5 steps will dramatically reduce your
chance of injury and if you do find yourself injured, but
have been following these 5 steps, your recovery will be
quick and efficient.
1. Stretch
What is more boring than stretching? You want to exercise,
not sit around touching your toes-right? Even though it
isn't exciting, stretching is the best way to increase
muscle elasticity and durability. Tight muscles are big
contributors to strains-remember? Take the time to stretch
everyday before and after your workout to stave off injury.
2. Warm Up
Preparing for your workout should not begin and end with
putting on your gym clothes. Your muscles need to be coaxed
into motion by way of a 10-15 minute warm up in order to
prepare them for injury-free use. Cold muscles are less
elastic and are therefore more prone to tears.
3. Proper Gear
For most fitness enthusiasts proper gear has everything to
do with their shoes. Don't be fooled-not just any shoe will
do. Find shoes that offer support and traction for your
exercise of choice, and make sure that they aren't too
tight or too loose. If you are prone to ankle injuries then
try a pair of high-tops for extra support.
4. Lifestyle
Stop for a moment and think about your car-if you don't
maintain it with regular tune ups, oil changes and quality
fuel then you can't expect it to perform well on the road.
The same applies to your body. Getting healthy amounts of
sleep, eating well balanced meals and staying hydrated will
all contribute to your performance during exercise. The
healthier your lifestyle is the less likely you are to
suffer an injury.
5. Condition
This may seem like the most obvious step to injury
prevention, but unfortunately it is the most overlooked.
People who keep their bodies in top condition by exercising
regularly and maintaining a healthy lifestyle are the least
likely to injure themselves. When exercise programs are
started and stopped sporadically your muscles are most
likely to become injured.
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Machelle Lee owns and operates The Invisible Gym in Santa
Cruz, CA. Her mission is to inspire people to become
physically active and enjoy the benefits of a balanced,
healthy lifestyle. For more information and questions you
can visit her website.
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