Health Labs of the Town of James Island

Feeling some discomfort during a workout is but normal, but that feeling shouldn’t result in serious injuries later on. A bad injury can easily discourage a beginner from continuing their exercise program, especially if the pain and soreness stay on for several days. To stay pain-free, you need to avoid some of the most common causes of workout injuries.

•    Failure to warm up can invite injuries. Warming up can supply the proper amount of blood and oxygen in the muscle to improve its resilience and range of motion. It also boosts your heart rate to make your body ready for more intense workouts.

•    Stretching exercises are necessary before and after each workout session. It brings back your heart rate to its normal range and prevents blood from pooling in your lower extremities and allows it to flow to the heart so you wont feel lightheaded and pass out.

•    Workout injuries can also come as a result of overexercising. If you have been physically inactive for quite a while, don’t push your workout too far that you’ll end up with pulled muscles and stress fractures. If you have a previous sports injury, make sure it’s completely healed before going back to the gym.

•    Improper execution of exercise movement can result in injury as well. As a beginner, you need to start somewhere, so don’t feel ashamed to ask how to perform a specific movement correctly or how to work a certain exercise machine.

It’s best to prevent injuries than to experience the pain they bring. Whether you’re a total novice or an old gym rat, limit your exercise time to about half an hour every other day. Be sure to warm up and stretch before working out and perform cool down exercises afterwards. Always exercise using the proper form and alternate exercise routines to avoid injuries brought about by the same repetitive movements.