Avoiding Injuries

In over 20 years of working as an Exercise Physiologist and a Personal Trainer I have seen many people come in with injuries.  Most are looking for ways to fix up their body and move on toward a goal of improved performance, weight loss or just being active.  Utilizing specialized corrective techniques that others have taught me such as Muscle Activation Technique, functional movement screenings and overhead squat assessments can be helpful.  After such assessments, a corrective model of exercise programming can be used to systematically strengthen and lengthen muscles in your body.  This type of programming will minimize stresses on your body in places where it is not wanted.  One method of managing tension that can be used to manage tension is foam rolling Foam Rolling Education  or corrective stretching common corrective stretches .   Optimal movement requires addressing areas of need regularly with each week of training.

The key however is to avoid injuries in the first place.  Commonly, injuries are more likely while doing household chores rather than during exercise if done correctly.   What is more common with gym injuries is a lack of understanding of the exercise, the load on the body, correct form and inappropriate changes in load and intensity (see more at correct methods ).  Over training, sleep deprivation and dehydration are other big factors in injury management.   Over training can be avoided with appropriate rest between sets, proper nutrition, adequate sleep and cycling training with an active recovery week.  An active recovery week is one in which you still do things at the club or outside, but take a break from the formal program to give your body a chance to adapt and heal.  See more on the signs of over training at when am I overtraining .  Regarding sleep, eight hours is the gold standard.  I am far from  a sleep expert, but I can tell you that a lack of sleep decreases the amount of time in REM sleep and decreases growth hormone production in your body.  This hormone is needed from healing and recovery post exercise.  YOU need this to recover!  See more about sleep with some good links at get more sleep .    Getting enough water can be a challenge for many of us.  We think we are drinking alot of fluids, however, look out for those with caffeine as this acts as a diuretic and will dehydrate you quickly when combined with exercise or warm weather.  Always push  more water if you are drinking caffeinated beverages.  A standard rule of thumb is to divide your body wt by two and that is the number of ounces you need at a minimum.  Getting adequate electrolytes is also key to good hydration.  For more on electrolytes see electrolyte education .

That is all for now!  You know where to find me if you have questions please send them to brian@optimalhealthperformance.com or visit www.optimalhealthperformance.com .