Herniated disc, tendinopathy, strains… the possible injuries are numerous when you exercise regularly! Sometimes, just a bad mouvement can cause an injury that will prevent you from working out for a long period of time. It’s important to know what to do to prevent these injuries but it’s also crucial for you to understand how to go back to a workout routine after an injury. Let's find out together!
The main causes of injuries
Most of the time, the causes are quite simple! Maybe you didn’t take enough time to warm up, you didn’t stretch after a workout or sometimes it can just be because you made a wrong move while exercising!
How to start exercising again?
After a long break, our muscles, bones and tendons are more fragile so it’s important to be very careful when you start exercising again. Here are some tips:
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Take it slow.
Some sports require more energy from your body! Try to start working out progressively with sports like swimming or biking. Running for example, can be dangerous when you start working out again after an injury since it put more weight on your whole body.
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Think about consulting professionals.
Make sure you have your doctor’s approval before you start working out again. It can also be very beneficial for you to see a coach in order to establish a proper workout routine to avoid any more injuries.
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Depending on your injuries some sports should be avoided when you start working out again.
For example, if you strained your thighs, make sure to avoid sports like football or basketball. If you strained your ankles, it’s best to avoid running or skiing because these sports can be tough on your ligaments. As for injuries on your arms, elbows or wrists, make sure to avoid sports that solicit your tendons like volleyball or tennis.
- If you feel pain as soon as you start working out, don’t push it and stop your session! It would be very unfortunate to hurt yourself again!
- Think about adjusting your diet.
It can be very good for you to eat a lot of proteins since you might lose a lot of muscle mass during a break. You should also add Vitamin C to your diet as it will help your body produce collagen, one of the major building blocks of bones, skin, muscles, tendons and ligaments.
What to do to avoid another injury?
To avoid making the same mistakes again, it might be a good idea to consult a coach who will guide you and help you reach your goals. It’s also recommended to start your workout with cardio to minimize the risk of injuries and it can also help reduce risks of cardiovascular accidents. Try not to work on the same muscle group two days in a row and think about warming up gently with light weights!
Reference:
https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/margot-mckinnon/3-ways-smart-exercise-can-help-heal-an-injury-faster_a_23216774/
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/foods-supplements-for-sports-injury
https://oppq.qc.ca/blogue/retour-au-gym/