There are many reasons injuries occur, one being when the contact or force is too great for your body (muscles, joints, bones, etc) to absorb. These types of injuries are mainly caused by falls.

Injuries can also occur with overuse. Overuse is a gradual breakdown of body structures which can occur for many reasons, including poor technique, uneven terrain, not enough flexibility, not enough strength, poor bio mechanics, inappropriate intensity, not giving your body enough time to rest between workouts, muscle imbalance, or even faulty equipment.

There are many ways to prevent these types of injuries.

I always ask my clients to come in a few minutes early to warm up slowly and gradually. This includes cardio activity, light stretching and/or movements similar to what you will be doing. For example – when using weights, start with a lighter weight and do more reps for your first set before increasing weight. When getting on the treadmill, start with a slow walk and gradually increase pace and/or incline as you warm up. This increases blood flow to your muscles, which increases flexibility and reduces the chances of getting hurt. For my clients that can’t come early, I start their sessions with a set of body weight squats to warm up and then ease into the movements that we will be performing.

Don’t do any exercise if you’re unsure of proper form. Just because you saw an exercise on Instagram or YouTube doesn’t mean you should try it by yourself. When in doubt, ask!

Listen to your body. Nothing should hurt or “pop”. Pain is never good. I always ask for verification – “does it actually hurt or do you just feel it?” Yes, you should feel your body working but you should never have actual pain. Proper form should always come before heavier weights. You will get more results using proper technique and you’ll be less likely to get injured. Use lower weights and focus on the mind-muscle connection. Nobody is watching to see how much weight you can move. I’m personally more impressed by somebody with perfect form than somebody lifting heavy weight improperly.

Don’t forget to include stretching and flexibility training into your routine. You can do this before and after your workouts by doing some light dynamic stretching or foam rolling.

Don’t forget about rest days! These days are just as important as the ones in the gym. You need to give your body time to recover because it takes approximately 48 hours for your muscles to heal workouts. Also,take care of your nutrition, water intake and get consistent sleep to make sure your body is working at optimal function.

Ease into your routine; don’t go too hard or too fast. I know you’re excited to start your journey and see results but you have to get your body used to new movements and activity. Gradually build up intensity, duration and frequency. Over time you will progress and be able to challenge yourself more which in turn lead to a happier, healthier life.

-Alli Fuoco, CPT