Fitness Fridays: Workout Injuries

My aunt had a terrible accident a few years back that required surgery and one of the forms of physical activity she was allowed to perform to aid in her recovery was moderate walking over short distances and it really helped her heal much faster. I was at the pool one time with a lady who had had knee surgery and her doctor recommended swimming to aid in her recovery. These two ladies were already injured and their doctors recommended activities to aid in their recovery. Now how about preventing workout injuries? First things first disclaimer; I am not a medical professional and all opinions presented here are from online research, observation and personal experience. If you have a medical condition or any health concerns due to age or otherwise always consult your doctor first before embarking on any fitness regimen. Here are some ways in which you can prevent workout injuries while working out;

Warm up: it is very important to do warm up exercises pre workout. I used to wonder why athletes would do stretching exercise on the track before a run turns out those were warm up exercises. Any good trainer who has a workout DVD out should have warm up exercises at the beginning of the video. If you are going for a run or a jog try doing some arm and leg stretch exercise as a warm up. For any workout start slowly work your way up and then slow down on the final stretch.

Listen to your body during your workout if at any point your back snaps, or you feel a pain in your knee or you feel light headed or dizzy stop the workout immediately and rest. I have experienced episodes of dizziness and nausea while working out and had to stop and lie down. Any sprains or dislocations that occur while working out should definitely be checked out by a doctor if the lightheadedness or dizziness is a recurring thing then that too needs to be checked out. . Also you need to know your physical limitation do not over exert yourself stop when you feel fatigued there is always tomorrow to continue with your workout. It is okay to be sore or tired after a workout but not feel pain if you feel any type of pain during or after a workout then something is wrong somewhere and you should probably get a doctor to check that out. Give yourself a rest day or two every week, if you wake up feeling too tired to work out then don’t, let your body rest and regain its strength before you attempt working out again.

Safety: wear the correct workout gear depending on your routine. Do not go running or jogging in flats you need trainers/sneakers for that they are made for that specific purpose to avoid ankle and leg injuries. If using weights use the correct weights for you current strength level that you can safely lift.  If swimming and there is a no diving sign please do not dive the sign is there for a reason and make sure there is a lifeguard or at least an experienced swimmer around the pool if swimming in a private pool no matter how much of a good swimmer you are.

Switch it up: I mentioned in this post how I switch up my workout routine every other day to avoid monotony and keep me motivated. Another reason to switch it up is to avoid putting too much pressure on particular body parts you need to use all your muscles and body parts interchangeably work on both the upper and lower body parts.

Cool down: it is very important to cool down towards the end of your workout to bring your heart rate down. Each time I have had to stop a workout abruptly due to an interruption I always feel lightheaded for a minute or two so it is always important to bring your heart rate down slowly. I have since learned to continue working out even when interrupted I just slow down and then come to a complete stop if necessary. Cool down stretches at the end of a workout will help bring down your heart rate. Remember start slowly, work your way up and then slow down on the final stretch before coming to a complete stop for any workout regimen.

Most importantly stay hydrated before, during and after your workout. Always keep a water bottle nearby it comes in very handy.

What steps do you take to avoid injuries while working out?