How To Protect Yourself From Fitness Injuries

Experts recommend getting regular exercise to improve your health and overall fitness. However, exercising too often or with bad form can result in injuries. These tips can help you protect yourself from fitness injuries.

Familiarize Yourself With Common Causes of Injuries

Several activities commonly lead to exercise-related injuries. These include exercising before the body is warm, not having proper form, overexertion, improper use of equipment, repetitive motions, not getting enough rest and doing exercises that are too advanced for your level of fitness. If your motivation to get fit is to attract a mate, consider using matchmaking services, instead of hurting yourself while trying to show off at the gym.

Don't Skip the Warmup and Cooldown

If you are pressed for time, you may be tempted to skip the warmup and cooldown, but this can lead to injury. Warm up by doing some easy movements for a few minutes and then gradually increase the intensity. Take five to 10 minutes at the end of your workout to gradually bring your heart rate and body temperature back to normal, rather than abruptly stopping your workout.

Stretch Carefully

It used to be considered common knowledge that you had to stretch before exercising to avoid getting hurt, but the evidence suggests that stretching may not actually help and can even lead to injury if you stretch while your muscles are cold. It is better to either stretch after your warmup or during the cool down. Avoid holding stretches for more than 15 to 30 seconds and do not bounce.

Choose Appropriate Exercises

If you haven't exercised in a while, it is a good idea to talk to your doctor before your start a routine. Choose low-intensity exercises, such as swimming, walking, golfing or riding a stationary bike to start. You can increase the intensity of your workout as your fitness level improves.

Use Equipment Correctly

Some sports require the use of safety equipment, such as footwear, mouth guards, helmets, shin guards, goggles or kneepads. Always use the appropriate safety equipment for the activity you are engaging in and wear it correctly. The equipment should be the right design for the activity or sport, fit properly, be in good working order and be used consistently and correctly.

Exercise Good Form

If you are just starting, it may be a good idea to take lessons or work with a personal trainer. If you are learning from a book or a video, practice in front of a mirror or another person so that you can check your form.

Vary Your Workouts

Doing the same workout every time can lead to overuse injuries. Try alternating between activities that work different body parts in different ways. For example, you could alternate running with swimming and biking. 

Don't Push Through Pain

Some amount of soreness can be expected, particularly if you are just starting, but there should not be extreme soreness or pain. If you feel pain during a workout, stop what you are doing. If you are experiencing chronic fatigue, you may be overtraining. Try reducing the frequency, length or intensity of your workouts and when you increase any of these aspects, do not increase them all at the same time.

Know When To See a Doctor

Minor sprains and strains can often be treated at home; however, there are times when you should see a doctor. If you are experiencing muscle or joint pain that increases or fails to diminish after self-care, see a doctor. Go to an emergency room or call 911 if you experience chest pain during or after exercise, have a joint that appears out of position, think you may have broken a bone, hear a popping sound and have difficulty using a joint or have severe pain, a serious injury or bleeding.

Don't let the fear of injuries prevent you from exercising. However, do take proper precautions to prevent injuries and give yourself time to heal if an injury does occur.