No matter how careful one is, injuries are almost impossible to avoid. The truth is, injuries are part and parcel of live. The key is to not let the injuries/ aches and pains come in the way of achieving your goals – fitness or any other dream. It is disheartening to see people adopting fait accompli approach – they either never resume their fitness regime or hide their injuries from the trainer in a bid to push themselves beyond what may be right for them. The result is either not being to achieve their goals or aggravating the damage further. Workout related injuries are in fact more common than we would like to believe.
But what after all is an injury?
Generally speaking, any physical damage that occurs to the body is termed as an injury. Categorically, injuries can be divided into two broad major groups – Chronic and Acute injury. Acute injuries are those which cause instant pain and should be treated at the earliest. Chronic injuries are caused when surface or acute injuries are ignored, as a result oi becomes a persistent pain over time. Chronic injuries are also the result of excessive use of muscle groups, joints, improper posture or structural abnormalities.
As a Fitness Coach, amongst other things, knowing about injuries is immensely important to me. It is extremely critical that I am well aware of my client’s history of injuries, however minor or major they may be, before I can introduce them to any workout routine. Without that knowledge, there are chances of suffering substantial physical damage while training. Therefore, it is not only mandatory for you to understand your injuries but it is equally important to share the details with your coach or instructor for proper rehabilitation and healing rather than initiating permanent damage.
There are many kinds of injuries – which can be either be because of prior condition or they can be workout related too. However, there are three injury types, which can take ugly and serious turn, if not disclosed before commencing a training program.
1. Neck Injury
Pain in the neck (literally ) , is one of the most common injuries but we usually ignore the issue unless there is some stiffness around the neck. However, I would advise you to reveal even the most minor discomfort or past painful conditions of the neck before any workout regime.
Neck is the base of the Spinal Cord and any damage to that area can not only increase the pain in your neck but cause severe headaches, dizziness, shoulder stiffness, brain fog, anxiety and restlessness.
There are several neck mobility workouts and stretches which, can help to relieve tension from the neck muscles and also treat the underlying problem permanently.
The upper, middle and the lower Back comprises of the major extension of the Spinal Cord. Back pain may be due to several factors.
Some of the most common reason for back pain are sedentary lifestyle, too much bending, heavy lifting, strain during exercise or running, standing for very long time, bad posture or falls. There are several workouts which can eliminate back pain and maintain the Spine alignments. Certain exercises are not recommended for back pains and may cause severe damage. Therefore, as a precaution it is advisable to share the details of the most trivial back related issues with your trainer before starting exercise program
The knee takes the entire load of the upper torso therefore, it is no rocket science to understand that the muscles around the knee and the joint needs thorough maintenance for it to function well. Falls and sprains can expose the knee to acute and sometimes chronic pains if not taken care of in time. Bad knee can severely impact mobility in the long run. There are many types of knee injuries, caused due to variety of reasons.
Several knee strengthening exercises are effectively beneficial for restoration of knee-strength and rehabilitation from injuries. It would be a grave mistake to ignore knee problems. It is very essential that you share any knee conditions with your trainer so that further damage can be avoided.
