Without a doubt, exercising is a great way to lose or maintain weight, tone the muscles, or feel fit in general. However, sometimes, it can go down south and result in pretty surprising injuries. Unfortunately, most people fail to recognize that their bodies respond differently to workout routines. Therefore, what may seem alright for a friend or sibling can end up being a painful experience for you. Here are a few tips to avoid exercise injuries.
Warm-up before and cool down after exercising
According to statistics, 45% of the American population acknowledge that exercise injuries they sustained resulted from poor warm-ups. The idea behind warming up before a workout is to allow the muscles to generate some heat to make them more flexible. The heat generation is a result of increased blood flow into the muscles. A failure to do this can increase your chances of causing injury to the muscles and joints. Moreover, a warm-up session allows the brain to acclimatize to the impending routines to be completed.
Your brain is also responsible for the stimulation of the hypothalamus. This is an organ responsible for maintaining internal body temperature. Some warm-up examples are jogging and brisk walking, and they help create an injury-free exercise session. In contrast, cooling down is the reverse. After a hectic workout, your heart rate and other vital bodily processes need to return to their normal state. Exercises such as a shoulder and cobra stretch can help you achieve this.
Only use appropriate workout equipment
There are many reasons workout experts recommend the use of appropriate gear when exercising. For example, your footwear, mouth guards, kneepads, shin guards, etc., are things you should try to include in your workout kit. Indeed, it also depends on the type of routines you engage in. For example, lifting weights helps to use lumbar and abdominal belts to support these sensitive areas of the body.
More specifically, an injury to the back can lead to acute or chronic lower back pains. At that stage, you might need medical or alternative therapy from chiropractors. It would be worth it if the workout equipment you employ enhances the exercise and does not cause you irreparable damage.
Seek medical clearance first, if needed
For some people, there is the need to seek physician clearance before engaging in specific workouts. This is particularly important for persons already dealing with chronic ailments. For example, heart disease, arthritis, osteoporosis, and even certain brain tumors can increase exercise injury risks. The more aware you are of your current health state, the better your exercise outcomes can be.
Stay hydrated during workouts
During exercises, your body loses fluids and electrolytes through sweating. This makes it essential to replenish the lost fluids through adequate hydration. Insufficient water intake can impair the cartilage in your joints, making it quite painful to flex your knees and elbows. Water is a lubricant for the body, and a lack of it can cause havoc during workouts.
Hopefully, you now know that exercising demands a great deal of caution before you risk throwing your body out of its equilibrium. With all these precautions, you can benefit from the several advantages that workouts bring.
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