5 tips for injury-free workouts
Matt from Back In Motion Aspendale Gardens shares his five tips for getting the most out of your workout and how to stay free from injury.
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.
Special offer: Mention this article to receive an Free Initial Assessment and $30 off your first consultation. Offer available at Back In Motion Aspendale Gardens only. Call 9580 1985 to book.
Read more: How to manage overuse injuries
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Author
Matt Skehan - Director - Back In Motion Aspendale Gardens
Matt's special interests are in the management of back, and hip injuries, Clinical Exercise and the management of chronic pain. In his spare time Matt loves to keep active and fit by cycling, swimming and running and has recently signed up for his first half ironman!