Stop gym injuries and maximize your workout!

by Rolland Cheng, NASM CPT and Dr. Adam Ward

Injury prevention is commonly overlooked, yet an  extremely important topic at the gym or when working out at home. Whether you  are an athlete, runner, power lifter, recovering from an injury, or just trying  to get back in shape, an injury is the last thing you want.

Are you making exercise mistakes? The biggest cause of  gym injuries is improper form. Therefore, it is vital to know exactly how to do  every exercise properly. Done correctly, body weight squats can help build  strength and tone your legs, as well as help tighten and strengthen your core.  Done incorrectly, you’re looking at possibly doing serious damage, if not  breaking down the structural integrity of your lower back, knees, as well as  your ankles. A pushup or chest press done correctly can help strengthen and  tone your chest, shoulders, triceps and abs. A pushup or  chest press done with incorrect form can cause serious rotator cuff damage. If  you do not know if you’re doing an exercise correctly, check with an accredited  trainer at your gym.

The age old saying “No pain, no gain” is absolutely  false. Yes, you do want to push yourself while working out, but if the exercise  at hand hurts then you need to listen to your body and stop. The burn from your  muscles working past their comfort zone is fine, but sharp pains are not.

Are you  being safe when you work out?

Regardless of what your specific goals of working out are,  a proper warm-up before the work out and cool down after the workout should  always be done to prevent strains or pulled muscles/soft tissue injuries.  Depending on what the workout is or what the goal is, there are a few different  ways to stretch. Find out which is right for your workouts and make sure you  add them in! Stretching options include:                                                 

• Static:  Stretches muscles while the body is at rest.
• Active:  Stretches and prepares muscles and tissues (non-force) for use during exercise.
• Dynamic:  Stretches that utilize speed of movement, momentum and active muscular effort.

However,  if an injury occurs…

Initially, many people  sustaining “minor” gym injuries utilize RICE, the first aid treatment for  injuries. REST - reduce activities and take weight off the injured area, ICE -  15 minutes on and 15 minutes off, repeat two or three times a day with a cold  pack, ice bag, or plastic bag filled with crushed ice and wrapped in a thin  towel (smaller areas, like the toes and areas with little padding require less  time), COMPRESSION - apply pressure or a device (bandage wrap, sports tape, air  cast) to the injured area and ELEVATION - place the injured area on a pillow or  similar soft surface, at or above the level of your heart. The RICE method may  be applied to a chronic re-injury or overuse condition when a flare up occurs.  After the swelling has been reduced, the proper management of any chronic  condition requires an understanding of why the affected area continues to be  problematic.

It is  vital to have an injury properly evaluated in order to determine the extent of  damage - joint instability, painful joints, weak muscles and lack of mobility.  After the evaluation, a customized treatment program can be created.  Treatment options offered by an injury treatment center may include Pain  Management, Physical Therapy, Chiropractic, Nutritional Support and/or  Acupuncture.

Prevention…  Prevention… Prevention!

The good news  is that there are quite a few things you can do to prevent exercise mistakes  and gym injuries from happening:

• Have a structural, muscular and chemical evaluation to detect and correct imbalances.
• Listen to your body and know your limits.
• Warm up, ice a muscle or joint before warm up and cool down when finished (walk, jog or do some light exercise for 5 minutes).
• Proper rest and recovery are essential.
• Don’t over train. Begin slowly and gradually increase the time and intensity of your workouts.
• Proper technique.
• Balanced  training  - don’t focus on just lower  body/core.
• Develop  strong core muscles.
• Wear supportive, proper fitting athletic footwear. Speak with a physical therapist to determine if orthotics may be recommended.
• Drink plenty of water before, during and after an exercise session to prevent dehydration. Water helps flush away acidic waste products from the muscles, which can cause muscle irritation and pain. A body composition analysis – computerized scale, will print out an individual’s percentage of body water. Optimal levels are at 50 – 60%.
• A healthy diet is essential – fuel for the body. Poor dietary choices can lead to chronic inflammation - increasing pain  sensitivity. Daily supplementation of Vitamin D can help alleviate a deficiency and pain, according to recent studies.