Getting injured is one of the fastest ways to derail your fitness goals. Having to take time away from training can wreak havoc on your fitness routine. And many people find it difficult to get back into a regular routine after being sidelined with an injury.
So how can you avoid being derailed by an injury? The simplest approach is to be proactive and avoid getting injured in the first place.
Easier said than done though, right? Not necessarily!
These tips can help you stay healthy and on track with your fitness goals by avoiding injuries.
How to Avoid Injury During Exercise
Know your limits and don’t push too far beyond them.
If you’re just starting out, you can’t expect to instantly be a pro. Start from where you are now and ease into it safely. Remember that there is a difference between pushing hard and pushing beyond your limits. Pushing hard will help you progress while pushing too far could result in an injury.
Warm up/stretch/cool down before and after exercise.
If you read about the effectiveness of stretching you are likely to find differing opinions. Some experts advise stretching only before working out or only after when your muscles are warm. Regardless of whether you actually stretch or not, it is important to warm your muscles up prior to a hard effort. You should also allow your body time to cool down following exercise. This could mean a slow jog or light stretches depending on your activity. While it can be tempting to skip this, it really is effective in avoiding injury as it prepares your body for your workout.
Listen to your body.
You may experience soreness after a tough workout. Listening to your body to know and understand the difference between regular soreness and the pain of an injury is important. If your body is giving you signs of overuse and potential injury, it is best to back off for a bit to avoid further aggravating it. Normal muscle soreness can be pushed through while pain should not be.
Wear good and appropriate shoes for the activity you are participating in.
When purchasing athletic shoes, you may have noticed a wide variety of shoes. Even though most shoes look the same on the outside, shoes for different activities are made to meet the specific demands of that sport. For example, running shoes are made to absorb the constant pounding and repetitive motion while tennis shoes are made for more lateral movement. Not only should you select the appropriate shoes, be sure they are in good shape and replace them as needed (which is probably more frequently than you realize).
Take rest and recovery days.
While it may be tempting to work hard every day, your body needs time to recover. Even if you don’t take a complete rest day, it is advisable to have an easy workout day. Ideas for easy work out days could include yoga or an easy jog. Even though you won’t burn as many calories, it is an important time for your body to repair your muscles and replenish your energy.
Cross train.
Focusing on one activity exclusively can lead to overuse injuries. As part of an overall balanced fitness routine, you should include other activities as well. Developing other muscle groups can help strengthen and improve your primary workout. For example, runners can benefit by adding days of biking, yoga, weight lifting or swimming. Your overall fitness will improve while potentially improving your primary workouts.
Incorporating these tips into your fitness routine can really help prevent injuries before they occur. However, if you do become injured, be sure to seek treatment for it to avoid further injury.
Have you ever suffered an injury that sidelined you? What advice would you give to avoid injury? Tell us in the comments below!
Paula Schuck says
Great tips. Listening to your body is so important. I’m guilty of wanting to do too much in my effort to be more fit. All that happens is that I get injured, and then I can’t do ANYTHING!
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Terri Beavers says
These are really great tips to help avoid injuries. The girls are in gymnastic classes and their teachers stand by some of these. They aren’t allowed to begin until they perform their stretching exercises.
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Gwendolyn Mulholland says
Working out can lead to injury and taking the steps to prevent them is important to a good workout. Proper stretches and warm-ups go a long way to prevent injuries.
Gwendolyn Mulholland recently posted…Sensory Friendly Movies at Regal Cinemas
Kathy says
These are wonderful tips. It is so important to be careful when you’re exercising. Anyone could easily get hurt fast, so you want to really know what you’re doing.
Rebecca Swenor says
These are great tips for avoiding injury during exercise. It is so important to listen to your body and to not over due it. Thanks for sharing the tips.
Ann Bacciaglia says
Thanks for these tips. I have been getting back into working out and I am always worried about hurting myself.
HilLesha says
I have never been injured during exercise before, but I have certainly gotten sore many times! I’ll be attending a mud race this weekend, so it will probably be a different story.
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Wildish Jess says
Nothing drives me more crazy than people who think its “cool” to push themselves too far. You’re not cool, you’re wrecking your body.
Wildish Jess recently posted…Why Carmel By the Sea is Where You Want to Be
Amber Killmon says
I love these tips! I have pushed myself to the point of near injury and know how important it is to prevent that!
Ashleigh Walls says
I’m always worried about injuries when I start a new workout routine. These are great tips to avoid it.
Lori Felix says
I was sidelined a while back with a sprained ankle. It is important to know your surroundings when exercising.
Lori Felix recently posted…How to Save on Groceries When You Hate to Use Coupons
Hayden Stewart says
These are all great stretches. Thanks for all of the info!
Network Health says
Glad i found your post… I actually just started my training the other week and i always feel sprain.. then cramps at night.. now im on my research mode!! awesome!! you are awesome!!
Matt @ Pickleball says
good advice, as I get older the warm up and cool down is key for me.
John says
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Jill says
I need some advice and motivation! I’m a 50 year old very active woman, triathlete, and recently diagnosed with osteopenia. I suffered a stress fracture while running, my doctor ordered a dexa scan and the results show osteopenia. My doctor. advises me to stop running even after my toe is healed. He cites the Mayo Clinc https://www.mayoclinic.org/…/osteoporosis/art-20044989 and https://www.nof.org/…/fracturesf…/exercisesafe-movement/ as well as https://ageless-nutrition.com/staying-active-with…/ I really hate the idea of giving up running.
Billy Blanks says
This is very informative and I thank you for this one. Millennials and old-school alike will greatly benefit from this article. I avoid injuries by listening to my body and stopping when I need to. Cheers!
Chrissy Flynn says
It is also best to listen to the coach or gym experts. They know how to use the gym equipment or gear better than we do. This is the reason why I always make sure that the gym instructors are always present whenever I workout.
Jennifer Berkey says
It is really important to do some warm-up before going on full-blown exercises. I remember my friend in the gym. He was so tired from his work, forgot to warm up, then his barbel hit his nose. I hope this does not happen to everyone else. Thanks for this. Xoxo.
Aarondale773 says
I had a bad case of muscle pull injury while I was doing stretches during a regular gym day and it was so bad that I had to be rushed to the nearby Express ER in Waco, TX where doctors attended to me immediately and after a few hours of medication and help, I was able to understand what just happened – I never thought a routine day at the gym would end up in an ER.
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