Unfit? Been injured? Top tips for getting back to exercise and avoiding injury after a break
, by Rhys George, 4 min reading time
Your chances of sustaining an injury are much higher when returning to exercise after a break. When you’ve been away from sports and exercise, your muscles might have lost some of their strength, and you may not be as flexible or fit as you were before. This makes many people push themselves faster and further than they would normally to get back to their previous form as quickly as possible. The truth is that this can lead to strains, sprains, and tears that can put a stop to proceedings altogether.
Whether you’ve been injured or just want to get into a more regular exercise routine, we’ve put together our top tips for avoiding injury when getting back to exercise.
1. Start Slow
Going too fast too soon can result in injuries that you’ll want to avoid. That’s why it’s essential to ease yourself back into exercise slowly. Start with small volumes and gradually build up the intensity and length of your workouts over time. Be realistic about things; it’s a good idea to start off at half your previous level and slowly build it up by about 15% each week. Mixing in low-intensity activities like swimming or walking can help work your muscles without overstraining them while you’re easing back in.
2. Warm-Up Properly
Skipping your warm-up because you’re eager to get stuck into your workout is another mistake you should avoid if you don’t want to get injured. A warm-up helps prepare your body for exercise, activates the muscles, loosens up your joints, and increases your circulation and heart rate to drive oxygen to the muscles, which helps lower your risk of injury. Taking 10 minutes before your workout to warm up is good practice.
3. Cool-Down Post-Workout
Cooling down after your workout is as important as your warm-up. A cool-down helps your heart rate return to normal and can help break down lactic acid buildup that causes inflammation in the joints and muscles. If you want to avoid strains and sprains, you need to cool down properly.
4. Get Enough Sleep
It’s hard to find something as beneficial for the body as a good night’s sleep. If you’re getting back into exercise and don’t want to get injured, it’s more important than ever for adults to get the recommended minimum of seven hours of sleep each night. Sleep helps restore and repair muscles, increase muscle mass, reduce inflammation from exercise, and boost your performance.
5. Stay Hydrated
Keeping hydrated is crucial for your recovery and can help prevent exercise-related injuries. As well as replenishing lost fluids from sweating during exercise, keeping your fluids up helps flush toxins out of the body and sends nutrients to cells to help bring down muscle soreness and tension.
6. Focus On Diet
Fuelling your body with the right food can help reduce the risk of sustaining an injury when you’re getting back into an exercise routine. Getting the right level of vitamins and minerals helps keep your bones strong, and the right diet balanced with carbohydrates, lean proteins, and healthy fats helps to reduce inflammation and repair muscles.
7. Concentrate On Your Form
Proper form can help you get the most out of your exercise and can help prevent injuries from happening. When returning to exercise, an incorrect form can leave you with painful sprains or worse. Go back to basics and really concentrate on your form to improve your muscle memory and performance.
8. Listen To Your Body And Adapt
It can be tempting to keep pushing instead of giving your body time to rest. Pushing your body to the max without a break sets you up for injuries. If you notice that your body is overly fatigued, sore, or in pain, it’s time to take a break. Take things down a notch or stop entirely until you can exercise comfortably.
9. Give Yourself Recovery Time
Rest between sessions is a crucial part of avoiding injury. It helps your muscles repair and can prevent overuse injuries like tendinitis.
10. Be Prepared
Having the right gear can help prevent injury. Things like ill-fitting shoes that don’t support your body correctly can lead to injuries you’ll want to avoid. Our compression sleeves are also a necessity to prevent injuries. They help boost blood flow, reduce inflammation, and encourage recovery.
If you’re thinking of getting back into exercise following a hiatus, these tips should help you stay injury-free. It’s a marathon, not a sprint, and slow and steady wins the race if you want to avoid injuries that delay your return to fitness.
