8 Ways to Avoid Exercise Injury According to Buffalo’s Premier Fitness Trainer, Christopher Lee

One of the reasons individuals become discouraged from sticking to a workout routine is that they overuse a muscle group or do not wear the right clothes/shoes, leading to body aches and pains. To meet your fitness goals, you will want to take precautions to avoid exercise injuries. Here are eight ways to avoid exercise injury according to Christopher Lee, a personal trainer in Buffalo, New York.

Professional Help

When you start a new workout routine, it can be a good idea to get professional advice from a doctor, nutritionist, physical therapist, and/or personal trainer. A personal trainer will guide you on how to exercise safely and when to take breaks to let your body recover in between workouts. 

Plan Your Workout 

Do not go to the gym and start going crazy on whichever workout machine is free and closest to you. Make a plan of approach for your fitness, such as focusing on legs one day and arms the next. Carefully plan your workouts to include stretches, cardio, strength training, and flexibility training. 

Wear the Right Gear 

This is a super important tip for avoiding exercise injury. Wear the right shoes, workout clothes, and safety gear when working out or playing sports in order to reduce the risk of injury. 

Technique 

If you are doing an exercise wrong, you could be doing your body more harm than good. Having good form and technique is more important than how many reps you do. You can always work your way up to doing more reps, but if you become injured from using an improper technique, you may have to sit out of the gym and lose the results you have accomplished so far. 

Gradual Increase

When you start a new fitness routine, it is important to gradually increase the difficulty of the exercises. You want to avoid overworking the body, so you gradually build up strength through consistency in order to be able to do more difficult exercises in the future. 

Stretch

One of the most important things to do to prevent injury from working out is to always stretch and warm-up. Without stretching and warming up, your muscles and joints are likely to be stiff, and you can expect lots of body aches and pains. 

Drink Water

If your body is not properly hydrated, it will not be able to perform as well as it would otherwise. Make sure to constantly replenish your liquids before, after, and throughout the workout session. 

Variety 

Try to incorporate some variety into your workout. Instead of lifting weights every day, go for a swim or a hike. Doing a variety of workouts can keep fitness fun and prevent you from overworking a particular muscle group. 

Common Types of Exercise Injuries 

  • Sprains 
  • Tendinitis 
  • ACL tears 
  • Rotator cuff tears 
  • Stress fractures
  • Body pain and aches 

Exercise injuries are avoidable if you are careful. Working with a personal trainer can help to ensure that you are being safe and healthy with your fitness routine. 

About Christopher Lee

Christopher Lee is a certified personal trainer and fitness guru from Buffalo, New York. He uses a multifaceted approach to help his clients achieve and maintain their fitness goals. Mr. Lee’s areas of expertise include athletic performance, science-based nutrition, functional training, and weight loss. He has a BS in Exercise Science from The State University of New York.