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Although exercise is one of the best ways to get fit and healthy, there is also a risk of injury if it is not done properly. Simple injuries such as pulled muscles, soreness and back pain can be caused by poor preparation. If you are just getting started with exercise or just getting back into it after a while of inactivity, there are things to consider to avoid injury.
We always recommend to start exercising gently. The affects from exercising usually occur 1-3 days after so pushing to hard initially can’t render you out of action for a longer period, which will undo the exercise that you did.
Once you have started your exercise routine, begin to increase it gradually by adding to the amount of repetitions, increasing the weight or time of exercise. Always remember though, if you stop for holidays or sickness, don’t restart the exercise at the same intensity as you body will need to work back up to that level. In order to avoid injury it is important to start off slow again.
Warm your muscles up to avoid injury
Stretching and warming up your muscles before exercising or sports is key to avoiding injury. An ideal warm up would be a gentler version of the exercise you’ll be doing, this will help your body to prepare for the more rigorous part. Warming down is also as important as warming up because straining or pulling a muscle is easy to do after exercising. Warming down also helps your muscles recover, which reduces aching the next day.
We recommend holding stretches for 30 to 40 seconds which will help your muscles in the long term. Stretching shouldn’t hurt so only go as far as you can before you feel pain and then hold that position. The more stretching you do the more it will help your muscles to cope with more extreme exercising.
Sports Massage
Using a professional physiotherapist you can identify any muscles that are over strained or need working on. At GJP Health we offer a professional sports massage service which allows us to keep you and your body in prime condition to perform your sporting activities to your best ability.
If you would like to book an appointment to discuss getting back to exercise and what you need to do, please get in touch with GJP Health and we will be happy to offer you advice.
