3 common injuries and how to avoid them



Being physically active is of vital importance for optimal health. Whether you enjoy jogging, lifting weights, or playing different sports, the benefits of movement are always there.

However, with physical activity comes a risk of getting injured. Even if you aren’t training for the next Olympics, there’s a risk for you.

Before we get into a few common injuries, there are two simple things that everyone should do to drastically reduce their risk of getting injured, no matter their sport of choice:

First, always warm-up thoroughly. Whether you’re about to play football, lift weights, do intervals on the track, or simply jog, taking 10-15 minutes to warm-up is an invaluable investment of your time.

Second, always ease into new sports activities and training programs. For example: 

• If you haven’t lifted weights in a long time, take it slow and build your way up to heavy weights over the course of a few months.
• If you’ve never done sprints before, start with jogging and slowly ramp up the intensity over a few months before you start doing full-blown sprints.
• If you’ve never played a sport before (especially a close contact one) take it slowly and be careful. This is where most twist, bend, tear, and strain injuries occur.

 

So what are the most common injuries, and what are some basic tips and techniques you can use to reduce your risks drastically:

 

1. Low back strain

Low back strains are one of the most common injuries and usually occur suddenly and without warning. 

Many things can cause a low back strain: a sudden impact, taking up a new sport, repetitive motion, and most notably: improper technique when lifting heavy weights.

Aside from the two tips we covered (always warming up well and easing into new activities), you must also:

• Always lift heavy or awkward objects with a focus on maintaining the lumbar curve in your back. A rounded low back is in a compromised position. Of course if it is too heavy, get help when you need it.
•  Lifting and twisting is the real killer. When lifting a weight, if you need to turn, do it with your feet, not with your back.

One of the key issues with injuries to the back, is that it doesn’t have a great deal of feedback mechanisms in place to let you know when you are doing it harm. The load accumulates, often leading to a very simple and seemingly inconsequential event that ends in a pretty serious injury that is actually the result of a long period of poor movement and technique.

 

2.Groin pull

The groin muscles are located on the inner side of the thigh and span from the upper part (near the groin) to the knee.

In most cases, a groin pull occurs when sudden side-to-side movement happens, and the groin muscles aren’t ready for it. Another common way is during sprints. Because the trainee’s body isn’t ready for that kind of explosive movement and stress, these muscles can easily get pulled.

To avoid groin pulls, follow the two tips to warm up well and work your way into new training programs and activities slowly.

 

3.Shoulder injuries

The shoulder joint is very flexible and offers a very large degree of coverage. Because of that, it is also susceptible to lots of different injuries that can be acquired in various ways.

Shoulder injuries include dislocation, tear or strain of rotator cuff muscles, and sprains of ligaments.

The most common ways to injure your shoulders is to press heavy weights with bad form (such as on the bench press and overhead shoulder press), to throw or swing explosively (common among golfers and baseball players), and to fall on your shoulder (common among athletes in contact sports).

There are many ways to avoid shoulder injuries, and no single tactic works for everyone.

For example, if you are an avid baseball player or golfer, warming up well and doing controlled swings can help.

If you lift heavy weights, warm up your shoulders and gradually work your way to heavy weights.

If you play contact sports (such as football or basketball), well… try not to get knocked down and fall on your shoulders. 

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