We commonly see people coming in to the clinic who have been training for around 6 weeks. That seems to be the magic number - if you can make it past this, chances are you will be ok, if you don't make it past this, then chances are you will stop training and revert to your previous lifestyle.
So - how do you train, remain injury free and continue at the gym? Here are some great tips to help keep you at the top of your training!
1. Get active
Did you know that the National Physical Activity Guidelines for Australia recommend a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per week? You should be aiming for at least 30 minutes of physical activity per day and the key to this is building a routine and staying motivated. Going to the gym regularly or blocking off time for an evening walk is great ways to start!
2. Warm up is important
Ensuring you have a good warm up prior to exercise, particularly strength training and more vigorous activity, will help reduce your risk of injury. This can include performing some body weight exercises, moving your joints through their range of motion, and foam rolling some tighter muscles. If particular places are sore during warm up, then you should have a lighter session and not push that area too much.
3. Poor form and control can lead to injuries
Often when we review people that have injured themselves during exercise, we can find that the underlying problem can be traced back to a sub-optimal technique. Using correct technique means that we will be targeting the correct muscles for the movement and reducing your risk of overloading joints and tissues with poor postures. Utilising the expertise of a personal trainer, particularly for beginners in the gym, is highly recommended.
4. Don’t go too hard too early
A large majority of exercise injuries can also be attributed to increasing load too early. The body takes time to adjust to the stresses of increasing physical activity. For physiotherapists, ‘load management’ is critical in starting clients on new exercise programs and for returning clients back to sport and exercise after an injury.
5. Injuries do happen
Even the best-trained athletes in the world will have injuries at some point. Following the first four points will greatly reduce the risk of injuries occurring. When soreness or injuries do occur, it is important to try and manage them as quickly as possible. Physiotherapists are the experts when it comes to assessing, treating and managing musculoskeletal injuries, and will get you back to your fit and healthy self as quickly as possible.
So - if you do fall into some trouble with training, please give us a call on 95801985. We want to keep you training, and in most instances, you don't need to stop. It is a matter of modifying your routines and exercises to pick ones that are not only going to keep you going, but also help rehabilitate your injury. As they say - MOVE IT OR LOSE IT!