Health Matters by Tammy Kasprowicz

Ten Tips for Injury Prevention in the New Year

It never fails! Over the next few months, we will see people in our physical therapy office that have strained or injured themselves hitting their new year’s resolution of exercising more a little too hard. Good for you for giving it your all, but too much too soon can be counterproductive and set you back.

Here are some tips to prevent common injuries:

  1. See your doctor for a physical or get a fitness test with a physical therapist or other professional. You need to make sure you are healthy enough for exercise and know where to begin on your fitness journey.
  2. Visit a personal trainer or physical therapist for a consult. It’s important to learn about proper body mechanics and form for exercising in order to avoid injuries and set-backs.
  3. Increase your time, intensity and resistance gradually. Begin with moderate exercise three times per week for 20 minutes and build from there.
  4. Warm up before exercise. Gradual, slow, active warm up of the muscles is best. Walking or simply moving body parts helps to warm up each area before resistance or more intense aerobic exercises.
  5. Cool down and stretch. Slow down your work out for 5-10 minutes. Be sure to stretch your warmed up muscles at the end of the program as well.
  6. Listen to your body! You should never experience sharp pain. No pain, no gain is not necessarily true.  You may get muscle soreness following a workout, but you should never experience pain.
  7. Cross train. Doing a variety of exercises decreases not only boredom, but the chance of overtraining or stressing one area of the body.
  8. Set realistic goals. Be patient and consistent. Tracking workouts and goals on a regular basis allows you to see your progress and adjust or make changes along the way.
  9. Proper nutrition is vital! It is best to eat about two hours before a workout to help fuel your exercise routine. Assess your eating habits for maximum workout impact and to feel better before, during and after your routine.
  10. Stay hydrated. Dehydration can make you sluggish and lose intensity during a routine. Drink plenty of fluids throughout the day, but at least 16 ounces in the two hours before a workout. Be sure to take in water during your workout to replenish lost fluids, too.

Remember that injuries can happen, no matter how careful you are. Common workout injuries include pulled or strained muscles; shin splints; plantar fasciitis; tendonitis of shoulders or knees; knee injuries; wrist or ankle sprains; and, low back or neck injury or pain. If you develop an injury, follow the RICE method to keep it from getting worse.

  • R: Rest the injury.
  • I: Ice the injury to lessen swelling, bleeding, and inflammation.
  • C: Apply a compression bandage to minimize swelling.
  • E: Elevate the injury to reduce swelling.

If you have on-going issues that prevent you from continuing your routine or force you to limit your daily activities, consult with a physical therapist or physician as soon as possible so that you can get back on track and achieve your goals. You can do it!