As we age, our body becomes more vulnerable, in both bones and muscles, but with the help of frequent and proper exercise, we can lower the effects of ageing.
It’s no doubt that aside from a healthy diet, physical exercise is the key to a healthy body and functional well-being. However, just like most things, exercising is not without risks.
There are times when we feel so determined to get fit that we exercise unsafely, leading to severe injuries. So if you’re wondering on how you can avoid serious injury while working out, you’re in the right article!
6 Most Common Injuries from Exercise
Listed down below, our health and fitness experts have put together this handy guide on the most common injuries from exercise and what you can do to avoid them.
Ankle Sprain
Ankle sprains are likely to happen when the ligaments within your ankle stretch too much. It usually occurs when you roll your foot, and most commonly while you run and jump.
While spraining an ankle can be severely painful, you can still avoid it if the exercise is done correctly. So in order to prevent it, it’s vital to work on balance.
Standing on one leg while brushing your teeth every morning is one of the easy ways you can improve your balance while at home. Also, while exercising, be aware of your surroundings to ensure you won’t roll your ankle on uneven ground.
Groin Pull
Pulling your groin can come as a result of putting too much stress on muscles in your groin and thigh. This can also over-stretch or even tear your groin muscle.
A groin pull is a frequent injury in sports such as football. Also, this can usually happen when changing direction while running.
The best way to avoid straining your groin is by stretching before exercising. When you stretch, it lengthens your muscles which tightens and prepares them before exercising.
Shin Splints
Shin splints can be felt along the front of your lower leg and at the shin bone where the pain focuses in the lower leg between your knee and ankle.
In order to minimise the risk of shin splints, it is essential to wear comfortable and perfectly-fitting shoes.
Tennis Elbow
Also known as epicondylitis, tennis elbow is repetitive strain injury that happens to around 5% of people who play tennis.
It occurs when the tendons in the forearm (which connects to the elbow) are stretched. But worry not as there are ways to avoid this kind of injury.
Stretching is the primary key to avoid developing epicondylitis. Another method you can do is to hold your arm out straight and squeeze a tennis ball for two to three minutes on each arm every day.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) Tear
Arguably this is the most serious of injuries on our list. An ACL tear can sometimes spell the end of an athlete’s career.
Known as Anterior cruciate ligament, it is a band of tissue that connects the thigh bone to the shin bone. The damage can be caused when overextending the lower leg or falling awkwardly. If torn, it may require reconstructive surgery.
To prevent tearing your ACL, it is important to stretch and strengthen the muscles around your knee joint. By increasing the strength quadriceps at the front of your thigh, your knee joint becomes much more stable.
Another method of preventing this injury is by doing walking lunges.
Strained Shoulder
Shoulder strains are common in exercise such as lifting weights, swimming and racquet sports where there is overarm movement.
The shoulder tendons can stretch and tear through repetitive stress on the tendons or through sudden movements. So to avoid this type of injury, it is vital to warm up your joint.
In terms of lifting weights, it is essential to keep your good posture by keeping your back straight and taking a break every so often to stretch.