In my practice I deal with injured people on a daily basis.  As a result I’ve compiled a pretty extensive knowledge of not only injuries but what causes them – and therefore how to prevent them.  Many of you out there right now are walking into a major injury and are simply ignoring it or don’t know any better.

It is in the nature of athletes and people with certain personalities to embrace hard work.  There’s nothing wrong with that.  However, when it results in a setback or the loss of ability to move forward in a program then it can bring frustration and the worst situation – having to stop working.  I always tell my clients that the only way progress will stop is if they stop it.  Well, having a bad injury is one way that you don’t have a choice.

I’ve compiled a list of the top 5 ways that you can reduce or prevent these types of injuries.  I hope that you take them to heart and use them to be mindful so that you don’t end up having to call me.

• Warm Up Thoroughly

This should really be a no brainer, but one of the worst habits I see from any athlete is that they simply neglect warming up their joints before subjecting them to loads.  In order to be able to fire properly, muscles need both blood flow and also neurological input.  If you’re lifting weights, this means moving the joints you’re planning on using and also practicing the movements.  If you’re doing cardio work this means doing a dynamic movement pattern sequence and also taking it easy for the first little while if you are doing a hard workout.

Athletes typically warm up for AT LEAST 15 minutes.  This also doesn’t mean static stretching or cardio – it means dynamic movement and preparation.  Factor this into your workout time and give it the attention that it needs, don’t ignore it or rush through it.

While you’re doing your warmup, you can also take stock of how you’re feeling, which leads us to:

• Acknowledge your Readiness.

Remember that ability to perform is fueled by nutrition and other factors.  Did you sleep well or not?  Are you hydrated?  Is it the end of the day or the beginning?  How focused are you on performing today?  Is there something else stressing your nervous system?  Are you distracted or focused?

Not every workout has to be a top level workout.  Some days you’re going to be able to give 100%, and some you’re simply not.  Being smart and realizing this before you start hard work can save you a big problem during and after the workout.  If you’re not able to give it all, then save yourself for the next workout.  You can still do what you need to do, but realize that pushing yourself at that stage may not be the most prudent thing.

Along with this important tip follows:

• Don’t Ignore Warning Signs

Your body will tell you clearly if there is something going on you need to pay attention to.  If you warm up and something is still stiff or restricted, or if you are feeling acute pain through a joint range, you may want to think twice about working that area hard.

So many athletes think that if they aren’t sweating and killing themselves then it isn’t worth it.  I’m here to tell you that’s false.  High level coaches realize that it is the long road that makes a difference so if you have one of these signs starting to crop up – or have a chronic issue – you’re better off addressing it now and taking care of it, because your body is literally telling you to slow down or stop.

• Work Smarter, Not Harder

There is a lot of misinformation in the fitness world, and probably one of the top ones is that you need to train to failure.  I can cite multiple sources where improvement comes with much reduced load, and others where rep ranges don’t factor into progress.  You can stop after 1 set or a few less reps and the difference in results are minimal – but the reduction in injury potential is large.  A good strength coach knows the signs of good lifting and not overloading their athletes, and you can learn this too.

Your progress should be linear and programmed as much as possible, factoring in the above from workout to workout.  A short delay for one workout is much better than a long one for a 6-12 week recovery period.

Also realize that progress is long term, not short term.  Many of us want results right away and think mistakenly that forcing something to adapt to change is the right approach.  Your body doesn’t work that way.  Instead of wanting results in two weeks, focus on two months or even two years.

• Recover Properly

Recently I wrote another article HERE on the Red Headed Step Child of recovery.  In summary, most people neglect things like sleep, nutrition and even proper cooling down and taking care of their tissue post workout.  This also means maybe taking an extra rest day if it is needed in between hard workouts.

This is a component of good fitness just like nutrition or anything else that can contribute to the well being of your body and improving it.  Yet it gets ignored on a regular basis.  Please make sure to factor recovery time into your schedule and adhere to it.

By following these simple principles you should be able to continue to improve, feel good with each workout and not have to go through the ordeal of rehabilitation.  If you have already gotten there, feel free to message me for ideas on how to enhance your recovery and make sure that it doesn’t happen again.  You can find me on Facebook, my web site http://www.srottawa.com and on Twitter @strengthottawa.

Have a healthy and injury free day!