Exercising in the gym or fitness center has now become a lifestyle for many people, both young and old, to maintain a healthy lifestyle and body fitness. However, the fitness referred to in this sport is more diverse because there are 3 main factors, namely exercise (exercise), nutritional intake (food), and also rest.
Even though exercising in the gym is good for health and fitness, if the exercise is not done with the correct method and movements it can cause injuries which can ultimately disrupt your exercise routine or even interfere with daily activities.
Common Causes of Injury When Exercising at the Gym
The following are the most common causes of injury while exercising at the gym
- Lack of warm-up/stretching
- Over training: excessive training, both frequency, duration and intensity where fatigue can cause errors in movement and cause injury
- Inadequate/inappropriate movements: incorrect movements during exercise can cause injury rather than benefit
- Accidents: some occur due to poor maintenance of training equipment or not using the right or inappropriate clothing/equipment
- Loads that are too heavy and repetitions too fast ( too much to soon )
Injury Prevention While Exercising in the Gym
Follow these instructions to reduce the risk of injury while exercising at the gym
- Start with a warm-up
- Do exercises with an expert/experienced instructor
- Do cross training, namely training that combines several types of training into one to support the main sport
- Use appropriate gym clothing and equipment
- Make sure the equipment used is well maintained
- Drink enough water before, during and after exercise
- Get enough rest and avoid excessive exercise
- Good nutritional intake
- Listen to your body
The Most Frequent Injuries While Exercising at the Gym
- Lower Back/Waist Problems
- Shoulder Injury ( Rotator Cuff Injury)
- Knee Injury (Ligament Injury)
- Hand and Wrist Problems ( Strain & Sprain )
- Foot and Ankle Problems (Plantar Fasciitis)
- Pain in the Elbow ( Tendinitis )
- Neck Pain
- Pain in Shin Bones
- Injuries Associated With Gym Equipment
Handling Injuries While Exercising in the Gym
Injuries can occur, even if you are very careful. If you experience an injury while training, initial treatment is the same as other sports injuries, namely the RICE method
- Rest : Resting injured muscles
- Ice : Cold Compress to Reduce Bleeding, Inflammation and Swelling
- Compression : Wrapping with light pressure to reduce swelling
- E levate: Elevating the injured part
If the initial treatment of the injury does not reduce the pain / the condition does not get better, immediately consult your doctor.
After reading this article, I hope you will get benefits and information to exercise in the gym more safely and comfortably and avoid injury, and if you find this article useful, please share it with your friends.
This article was written by dr. Rudi Hadinata, M.Ked, Sp.OT (K) Hip & Knee (Specialist in Orthopedics and Traumatology, Hip & Knee Subspecialist, EMC Cibitung Hospital & Grha Kedoya Hospital).