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Exercise Safety and Injury Prevention (Oct 6, 2008)
By Inshape | October 6, 2008
Most people have been guilty of exercising or engaging in some athletic
activity without being properly prepared. Whether it’s checking the
weather, traffic conditions, or simply taking a few moments to listen to how
your body is feeling, many factors affect the success of physical activity.
Short-term affects can range from getting drenched in a downpour to simply
having an unpleasant experience, but long-term affects are also possible.
Chronic joint or muscle pain can develop, and you can sustain other injuries
that severely limit your physical abilities, and the most common conditions
are as follows:
OVERDOING it.
Listen to your body. Be aware of overdoing it or noticing if something does
not feel right. This is the number 1 cause of injury. All too often we get
excited about starting a new fitness program or sport and do too much too
soon. We tend to ignore the signs of overdoing it and suffer unnecessary
setbacks. While exercising is critical to living a healthy, well-balanced
life, it’s also something that needs to be mapped out – like any other part
of your life.
If you experience any of the following sign or symptoms stop what you are
doing: swelling in hands, feet or face, dizziness, cramping, chest, stomach
or any other acute or chronic pain, shortness of breath, sudden or sever
headache, and/or excessive sweating over your normal level of exertion.
IMPROPER exercise techniques.
Learn how to play the sport you’re participating in. Learn how to execute
the moves and when something doesn’t feel right, STOP. If you’re working
out on gym equipment, make sure you know how the machines work. Be aware of
the proper seat setting for your build. When it comes to free weights or
just using your own body weight as resistance be aware of what muscles you
are working. If you know where you should be feeling it, you’re move
inclined to know whether you’re doing the exercise right or wrong. If your
back hurts when you’re doing a bench press, either your form is wrong or the
weight you’re lifting is too heavy. Make sure your grips are all correct to
avoid overstressing the wrist and elbow – the wrong hold can set you up for
carpel tunnel or tennis elbow which are 2 nagging and extremely painful
conditions.
Warm-UP / Cool-DOWN
You only have 30 minutes to workout - what gets booted from your workout
first? Usually stretching! You cannot expect your body to perform
efficiently without a proper tune up. A warm up doesn’t have to be long but
you should always ease into your workout and allow your muscles to prepare
for more intense workloads. And a cool down with a little stretching is
essential to keeping your body limber and strong. Stretching at the end of
a workout or sporting event encourages lengthening of the muscles and helps
in recovery.
Buyer BEWARE
Don’t run out the second you decide to pick up golf and purchase the first
set of clubs you try just because you hit the ball well. BIG mistake.
Learn about equipment, do some research and talk to a few professionals
about how to determine what’s right for you. You may like the look of a
club but what good will it do if it’s not the proper fit? Compulsive buying
leads to injuries. Slow down when making purchases. Rent equipment for a
few weeks until you determine the best line of equipment for you. Note: When
playing a sport, know how to use the equipment. So many injuries could be
avoided by just learning the basics.
SERVICE equipment.
Make sure all equipment you use is serviced regularly. Tune up your bike,
the strings on your racquet and have the belt and cadence checked on your
treadmill often. If you own small equipment such as tubing or stability
ball make sure there are no tears in the rubber and that there is adequate
air in the ball. All equipment has a lifespan. The more you use the
equipment, the faster it breaks down.
WEAR proper fitness attire/gear
Wear proper gear at all times. If you’re biking or skating, wear a helmet
that fits snug. Wearing a bike helmet can cut your risk of serious head injury by up
to 85 percent, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. Wear
appropriate shoes for your sport and replace them when needed. The life
span of an athletic shoe is much shorter than one might think. So be aware
of the signs of an aging shoe. When working out in the early morning or in
the evening, wear light colored and/or reflective bands or clothes so that
you can be seen.
WEATHER conditions anyone?
Not paying attention to weather can be detrimental. You need to know what to
expect when you’re exercising outside. Weather can change at the drop of a
hat, so be prepared. If you’re working out in cold weather you need to be
aware that the cold prompts fluid loss, so you need to stay hydrated. You
also need to warm up a little longer when working out in the cold.
For clothing, layer up! Wear light, high-quality synthetic fabrics that are
breathable. Cotton is a no-no as it retains moisture and leaves you damp and
cold.
Be AWARE of your surroundings
Exercising in the parks and outdoors is wonderful but you need to pay extra
attention to the terrain you are on. Many times surfaces are uneven, there
are cracks in the cement or twigs and rocks on trails and you can easily
sprain and ankle or suffer a hard fall. Shin splints occur when working out
on hard surfaces if your body is not prepared and properly warmed up. When
working out in the early mornings or evenings make sure to wear
light-colored, reflective bands or gear so you can be seen. Always face
traffic when walking or running and ride with traffic when cycling.
Stay HYDRATED
Not taking in proper fluids during exercise is all to common, and not just
in the summer months! If you’ve waited until you’re thirsty, chances are
you’re already dehydrated. If you’re planning to exercise for an hour or
more, drink more water than you think you need before, during, and after
exercise to avoid getting dehydrated. Signs of dehydration include fatigue,
nausea and lightheadedness. It is recommended that you follow these
guidelines to stay properly hydrated.
• Drink about 2 cups of water 2 hours before exercise
• Drink 1 cup of water about 30 minutes prior to exercise.
• Drink ½ cup – ¾ cup of water every 15 minutes during exercise
• Drink 1-2 cups of water within 30 minutes of completing your exercise
session.
Next week we will turn our attention to nutritional guidelines for high
energy and fat burning. As always, if you have any questions, please send an
email to info@inshapellc.com [ mailto:info@inshapellc.com ] or call 212.362.1001.
Topics: Personal Training |
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