It's a fact of life: Injuries happen. If you don't exercise, you could be more prone to an acute or abrupt injury. If you do exercise, you may find yourself with a chronic or graduated injury. So, which way do you go? Clearly, the answer lies in proper exercise. It is, however, very common to find individuals exercising improperly. This improper training could result in what's known as a sports injury.
There's a concept in fitness known as the Risk/Benefit Ratio. This means that exercise could impose a potential risk to one's health. Along with the risk is the obvious benefit of better health and fitness for the body. The key is to find an exercise program that offers minimized risk and healthy benefits. As you strengthen your muscles, your body's injury potential decreases. For example, if you're building leg muscle, your knees have much more support than before. Likewise, if you're strengthening your abdominals, then your back has increased support. Let's look at some keys to safe and effective fitness.
Please consult a physician before starting this or any exercise program.
Viewing the video clip will greatly help your understanding of the fitness keys for injury prevention.
Fitness Keys for Injury Prevention:
- Warm-up Warm up for five to 10 minutes at a moderate intensity.
You've probably heard it before, but the warm-up is a very important aspect to injury prevention. When you take time to warm up, you're increasing your body core temperature. With the temperature increase comes increased blood flow and more muscle elasticity. What this means for you is muscles that are ready to work. You will significantly reduce the risk of a strain or pull in the muscles and tendons. So, whatever you do, warm up first!
- Stretch Stretch with warmed muscles, preferably after cardiovascular exercise of 20 minutes or longer. Hold stretches for 20 to 30 seconds. Breathe through your stretches and do not bounce!
Stretching will allow your muscles to move more easily without strain. Greater flexibility will reduce the risk of muscle injury. Remember, stretching with muscles that haven't been warmed up will offer little benefit.
- Ice Treatment Ice for 12 minutes. Use ice or a cold compress on areas that feel sore or inflamed after activity.
If you are over 30, you may find yourself with a few aches and pains from time to time. While exercise may reduce these types of pains, it may not eliminate them. Getting in the habit of icing will greatly reduce inflammation and pain, and will keep you in the game!
- Exercise Abdominals Exercise abdominals on every workout and at least two days per week to add support to the lower back.
Your back can be a weak link or a strong link. Training your abdominals is one of the best ways you can add support to your back. (Read Anatomical Abdominal Techniques for more on abdominal training.)
- Leg Training Train legs at least once per week, preferably two to three times, in addition to your cardiovascular routine.
There are two types of leg training. One is with your feet on the ground, as in squats and lunges. These exercises are called closed kinetic exercises. The other type of leg exercise is with your feet off the ground, such as leg extensions and leg curls. This type of exercise is called open kinetic. It is important to do both types of leg activities. The open kinetic exercises should be done with relatively lighter weight and with higher reps.
Keep these basic keys in your workout and you'll have years of injury-free exercise success. Whatever exercise I do, I always make certain to keep these keys in my workout program. I hope you will do the same.
