Preventing injuries

There is always a risk of injury from exercise, particularly from strenuous activity that puts excessive pressure on the joints and muscles. If you want to start exercising, but you either have not done it before, or you have not exercised for a long time, you should talk to your GP about your fitness before starting any kind of exercise programme. This is particularly important if:

  • you are over 35 and smoke,
  • you have diabetes, or are at known risk for heart disease,
  • you are over 40 and inactive,
  • you have high blood pressure,
  • you have chest pains or any severe discomfort when you exercise,
  • you have high cholesterol, or
  • you have difficulty breathing during mild exertion, such as while carrying out daily activities.

Preventing injuries

Even the most experienced fitness enthusiast can injure themselves through exercise. However, the risk of injury can be greatly reduced by taking some simple precautions. Try following the steps outlined below for safe exercising.

Always warm up and warm down

Warming up before strenuous exercise is very important because it gets your blood pumping to your muscles which makes them more responsive, lowering the risk of muscle pulls and strains. To avoid injury, you should only stretch when your muscles are warm. If you stretch before your workout, make sure that you spend at least five to ten minutes doing some light to moderate aerobic exercise, such as jogging or cycling. As well as increasing your heart rate and getting your blood circulating around your body, it will warm your muscles and prepare you for more vigorous exercise. It is also important to warm down after exercise. Like warming up, spend at least five to ten minutes after your work out doing gentle exercises until your heart rate returns to normal.

Try not to overdo it

Your body has to adapt gradually to exercise, particularly your muscles and joints. Start slowly, before gradually building up the length and intensity of your exercise sessions, and how often you do them. It is recommended that adults should do at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise (enough to make you warm and slightly out of breath) five times a week. If you are obese, you should do 45-60 minutes of moderate exercise at least five times a week. Your recommended minutes do not have to be done all at once and, if you are new to exercising, you should work up to your recommended level gradually.

Make sure your technique is correct

Many injuries are caused by the repetition of an incorrect exercise technique. Doing things incorrectly can put excessive strain on your muscles and joints. If you exercise at a gym or fitness class, always check with your trainer that your technique is safe and correct. When you join a gym, you should always be given an induction to make sure you know how to use all of the equipment safely and correctly.

Use the right equipment

Poor footwear, headgear or clothing can interfere with your exercise and cause considerable discomfort and even pain. If your exercise involves impact (things like running and jumping), you will need footwear that supports your feet and ankles and cushions shock. Clothing and footwear that does not fit properly can be just as bad as inadequate kit, so make sure everything fits.

Injuries

If you are injured through exercise, never be tempted to ignore the pain and continue exercising. This can turn a minor injury like a strained or pulled muscle, into a long lasting condition that is much harder to treat. Always seek medical advice if you think you have injured yourself. If your injury is minor, you may only need to rest the affected area. Otherwise, your GP may refer you to a therapist who can give you specialist treatment. If you go straight to a therapist without seeing your GP, always check that they are a regulated practitioner who is qualified to treat your particular problem.