From cardio to weight training, exercise is great for your all-round health. But, even if you’re a professional athlete you must take precautions when exercising or you could end up with serious injuries. Joint strain and muscle problems are some of the most common injuries that can occur when exercising.
Luckily, there are plenty of ways that you can enjoy exercise and minimise your chances of injury. Learning how to look after your body is an important part of exercising. But, what are the best ways of preventing injuries?
In this blog, we explain all you need to know.
How to stay safe while exercising
No matter what your activity level is, safety should always be a top priority when it comes to exercise. If you exercise regularly, be sure to not get complacent and put your body under too much pressure. On the other hand, as a beginner, you should take it easy and gradually build up your strength and endurance.
Here are some top tips to bear in mind when exercising:
Have an induction at the gym
If you’ve recently signed up to a gym membership, getting started can seem a little daunting. The best thing you can do is have an induction. This is usually a free introductory session run by the gym staff as a way of getting you comfortable. As well as a tour of the gym, the induction will give a basic demonstration and overview of the equipment available.
Don’t be embarrassed about having a gym induction. Everyone has to start somewhere and the last thing you want is to cause yourself an injury during your first visit. Once you know a little more about how to use each machine you’ll feel more confident about where to start.
Warm up and cool down properly
Starting any type of exercise without warming up can be a cause of injury. As the name suggests, warm ups are a way of gradually warming up the body by raising your temperature and increasing blood flow. You can do this by completing a brisk 10 minute walk on the treadmill followed by stretches.
Once you’ve finished your exercise routine it’s time to cool down. This helps your body to recover after exercise so you don’t experience severe muscle soreness or stiffness. If you have not cooled down properly your muscles may end up stiff and sore, further exercise within a few days may then strain the muscles more potentially ending in injury..
Practice correct posture
Having good posture, especially when weight training, will ensure that you are performing the movement correctly and not causing unnecessary strain. A good way of doing this is by practising exercising without any weights or a very light amount. Try to look at your body positioning in the mirror whilst doing the exercise if possible to ensure that you are using good posture. This way you can perfect your posture and gradually increase your weight.
Many people forget about form and focus on building up their strength but you should’t do one without the other. To get the most out of your training, go back to basics and perfect your alignment. If you’re unsure of how to position yourself, most equipment will have an easy to read diagram for you to follow but doing a little research will help too. You can always ask a member of the team in the gym to check you for good alignment too.
At The Hillsborough Chiropractic Clinic, we offer local sports massage in Sheffield. All too often, incorrect posture and repetitive strain injuries cause painful joints and muscles. We aim to relieve your symptoms and provide the right physical treatment to get you back on track. Get in touch with us today and book your sports massage.
Listen to your body
If your body is aching, you are ill or you don’t feel up to exercising, listen to your body. When you start exercising and seeing the benefits it’s easy to get carried away and push yourself before you are ready. However, in the long run, this can result in injuries. Listen to how your body is reacting and let it take the lead on how often you work out and to what intensity.
Just because one person can work out every day and feel fine doesn’t mean it’s the same for everyone. Take your time and pace yourself. Whether you’re trying to improve your fitness levels, strength or you like working out for fun, never ignore how your body feels after a session.
Have rest days
Rest days are just as important as your training sessions. After an intense workout, your body goes into recovery mode. To see the results you want to take care of your body properly, rest days allow you to rebuild your strength. Every time you work out you are creating micro- tears in your muscles which ultimately makes you stronger and more resilient. However, when you overdo your training these micro-tears don't get the time to rest and repair, this can become real injuries that may prevent you from training or cause long-term pain. Try and rest at least every other day to give yourself enough time to recover. If you really want to go to the gym every day then ensure you only train upper body one day, then lower body the next to allow sufficient rest time.
Do I need a sports massage therapist?
If you’ve been suffering from neck, back or joint pain as a result of exercising, you may need a deep tissue sports massage by a professional therapist. It’s always best to treat your pain sooner rather than later. Some aching is completely normal after a workout, but if you feel pain that is interfering with your daily life it could be time to get a full body sports massage.
Here are some of the top signs that this kind of treatment could be right for you:
● You feel very stiff frequently
● You have discomfort in your neck, back, joints or muscles
● You feel aching deep in your muscles
● Your symptoms have been going on for weeks or months
How can sports massage near me help?
● Increased flexibility - Sports massages target a specific area which can improve your flexibility. By manipulating the area it will begin to loosen and improve mobility while reducing stiffness.
● Improved well-being - Physical injuries can affect your mental health, especially if you are in pain every day. Having a sports massage can benefit your body and mind as you get back to full health.
● Better pain control - Sports injuries can be very painful and can affect your ability to do simple day to day tasks. However, sports massages can make the pain easier to control by carefully treating the area to ease muscle and soft tissue discomfort.
● Decreased chance of long-term injury - Treating your injury as soon as possible, alongside rehabilitation exercises is key to preventing long-term issues. Massages are a great way of keeping your muscles relaxed and identifying any area that could cause problems in the future.
The Hillsborough Chiropractic Clinic: Professional Sports Injury Therapy in Sheffield
If your sports-related injuries are causing you long-term discomfort, look for a local sports massage to relieve your symptoms. At The Hillsborough Chiropractic Clinic, our dedicated team can help you recover faster with techniques that target the area and improve the flexibility of the muscles.
We understand that everyone’s injuries are different. Before providing treatment, our trained massage therapist will discuss your situation to find the best solution for your needs. With over 20 years of experience, Larni Lorenzo, our in-house specialist, can offer sports massage as well as myofascial release and manual lymphatic drainage.
Don’t let your injuries stop you from playing the sports that you love. Your health is our main priority at The Hillsborough Chiropractic Clinic from neck pain to back pain or sports injuries. Get in touch with us today for more information about our services.
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