Keeping yourself safe during your workout
Keeping yourself safe during your workout

From Staff Reports

Published: August 3, 2008

As the number of Americans actively participating in athletic endeavors continues to increase, so does a statistic that causes many medical experts to speak out for caution.

Government studies show that, in one year, an estimated 17 million Americans will sustain an injury related to their fitness participation.

A recent report from Continuing Medical Education Courses said: "Although safety precautions are indispensable, there's more to staying injury-free than cushioning your falls, avoiding flying projectiles, and keeping your muscles limber. Athletes often overlook measures than can protect them from problems like sore knees and sprained ankles.”

The report says that though "there is no sure way to take the ouch out” of participation, there are ways to "stay in the game.”

Among the most common injuries are those caused by overuse. Participatiory sports, such as football, hockey, lacrosse, or any other where contact is part of the game, often have injuries that involve suddenly snapped bones, torn tendons, or cuts.

But the majority of injuries that come from the non-contact events, whether it be sport or fitness center, or your own equipment at home, are due to stress. This means they come on over a period of time, possibly weeks or months.

These often are along the lines of: stress fractures, shin splints, pulled muscles, tenderness in the Achilles tendon, or burning in the heel.

What contributes to them? Location and equipment often are the culprits. Worn shoes, uneven running surfaces, unbalanced equipment often cause big problems, and you don't even have to work out for a long time, or be of a certain age, to suffer them.

Here are some tips to avoid some of these injuries and other problems:

•If it hurts, stop. Don't try to push through the pain. Real discomfort is a sign that something is wrong.

•Alternate hard training with easy days.

•Make sure your equipment — including your shoes — is not worn out.

•Make sure you warm up, particularly with stretches. Stretches are good for cooling down periods, too.

•If you're running, run on soft, flat surfaces.

•Don't overdo it in the heat. Replenish your water and cool down.

•On indoor equipment, know how it works.

•Follow the directions. If there aren't any, consult someone who knows, such as a dealer's store.

•If you have a recurring problem, such as ankle sprains, see a doctor.

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