Workout injuries can put you out of commission for weeks or sometimes months. Fitness expert Meredith Miller of Level 10 Fitness shares a plethora of tips to help prevent injuries while getting in shape.
1. Warm Up
One of the most important ways to avoid injury is to do a comprehensive warm-up before every workout. Your starting point should be between six to ten minutes, or until you have broken a light sweat. This raises the body’s core temperature enough to enhance the elasticity of muscles, tendons, ligaments, and overall joint structures, and prepares you for the tough workout ahead.
2. Cool Down
After exercising, cool down. Decrease the intensity of your exercise and continue to move for five more minutes, then do slow, static stretching for another five to ten minutes. Cooling down helps your body adjust. A good cooldown allows for a proper decrease in heart rate and blood pressure, it prevents blood from pooling in your legs, and it promotes the removal of lactic acid, which helps decrease muscular soreness. Make sure to stretch slowly and gently, stopping short of pain. Inhale and exhale regularly.
3. Wear the Right Shoes
The right shoes should fit well and be designed specifically for the activity you’re involved in.
4. Get Proper Rest
If you’re tired or didn’t get a sufficient amount of sleep the night before, cut down on the duration or intensity of the exercise. Also, give your body adequate time to recover, ideally twenty-four to forty-eight hours. Your muscles need that recovery time.
5. Drink Plenty of Water
It’s important to drink before, during, and after exercise. Water is your body’s principal chemical component, comprising 60 percent of your weight on average. Every system in your body depends on it, and it flushes toxins out of vital organs, carries nutrients to your cells, and provides a moist environment for ear, nose, and throat tissue.
