Entry 10: my top 3 tips for preventing injury

 Hey guys,

I wanted to put my physio student hat on and touch on what my top 3 tips would be for preventing injury in the new year. 

Coming towards the end of Feb, I'm sure there are a fair few of you who took advantage of the New Year motivation and got stuck into some form of exercise and if you did, it may be around this time that some of you are starting to feel a bit sore or over it. 

So this week I wanted to touch on what you can do to prevent injury but these tips can also translate into ways you can ensure your exercise habits stay consistent and don't fizzle out as the year goes on. 


Tip #1: listen to your body

So fun fact, your body is actually really good at communicating with you if you listen to it. 

If your body is really really stiff and sore and you're unsure if you should work out that day, you probably shouldn't. 

If you feel super tired and barely have the energy to get through the day, taking a day off or doing a lighter activity might be best.

Are there times when you should push through? Yes. Absolutely. 

But in my experience, knowing you should take a day off to prevent injury and just wanting to avoid a workout feel quite different. And perhaps this comes with experience and time - I have definitely learned the hard way the impacts of not listening to my body and over-training - but regardless, it is a skill worth investing in developing. 


Tip #2: get into strength training

Strength training is so much more than just looking toned and "getting the gains". Our muscles are important for carrying us through life and engaging activities but they also work as shock absorbers!

When we walk, run and jump (and do other activities), forces travel through the body which our muscles can help absorb, reducing the impact it has on our body. 

So through strength training, we are not only increasing our strength but we are helping enhance this shock absorber function, thus reducing the risk of injury. 

This goes hand in hand with listening to your body and an earlier post on rest/recovery. This shock absorber is all well and good but if you don't rest when you need to, this function isn't going to work as well and the risk of injury will be even higher. 


Tip #3: fuel your body properly 

The idea that food is fuel doesn't just mean that you need to eat to have enough energy to participate in all your favourite activities. It also means you need to eat enough so your body can recover and repair adequately so you can continue with those activities. 

So this also means getting the right fuel on board. When strength training and looking to prevent injury, a balanced food intake is important but ensuring you consume enough protein is crucial. Protein is one of the primary building blocks of the body and therefore, it is key for recovering properly and successfully gaining strength. 

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All of this can sound really simple and really boring but one way I think about it which I find helpful is basically by thinking of my body like a car. 

We all know how awful it is when our car breaks down or needs something repaired right? Well, the same applies to the body and it is equally (if not more) as sh*t to deal with. 

The 3 tips I mentioned before translate into this metaphor like so: 

  • Listen to your body = your check engine light
  • Strength training = making repairs and modifications so it runs better
  • Fueling properly = ensuring you have enough gas in your tank 

Now this may seem like an odd way to frame it but a lot of people I have worked with have found it helpful because as humans, investing in our own health and wellbeing can be seen as "selfish" and not a massive priority. 

But for a lot of people, making sure your car is running properly is pretty important and even though we don't like spending money on it, we do because we value it and the benefits it provides us with. 

The idea of our car breaking down and not being able to take us to work can send us into a panic but what happens if our body breaks down and can't even get us to said car? 

So by drawing the parallels between our bodies and a car, it can help put it into perspective for people and make them realise that investing in their bodies isn't "selfish" or a waste of money. And sorry all you car lovers out there but your body is far more important.


- Alex

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