INJURY PREVENTION

Injury Prevention should be the first priority for your active lifestyle. In spite of how careful you are and how well informed or experienced you may be, injuries can happen. Undoubtedly, no one wants to get hurt. It is painful and debilitating.

Strains, sprains, tendonitis, and fractures are part of exercising. Dislocations, sprains, muscle pulls, shoulder and knee injuries, and even shin splints are quite common. It's not our intention to get hurt, but what can we really do to avoid these injuries? 

INJURY PREVENTION CONSISTENCY

First and foremost, if you are consistent with your training, you can dedicate time and effort to preparation before you train. This is not a new or novel concept, but it's often overlooked, rushed, or flat-out skipped.

Of course, with preparation and know-how, you can prevent most injuries or recuperate from injuries better. Traumatic injury is when damage occurs as a result of an accident while exercising.

On the other hand, cumulative injuries are a result of tissue damage due to repetitive and consistent strain on the tissues. This can affect one’s daily life and can be aggravated with improper posture, form, exercising, or training.

WARMING UP FOR INJURY PREVENTION

Though often ignored, warming up before exercises is a tried and true way to prevent injury. A good warm-up session promotes flexible movement of major joints and muscle groups.

Warm-up makes your tendons and muscles flexible, promotes blood flow throughout your body, and activates your nervous system. A warm-up should start slowly, and the speed increases to improve agility and pace, thus complementing the exercise routine that comes up next.

It's vital to start your exercise routine with a warm-up. It's equally important to cool down after exercising. This is when recovery starts, and the focus is to bring down the heart rate to a stable beat. You can do this by walking or light jogging, breathing exercises, yoga, meditation, or stretching.

INJURY PREVENTION WITH FOAM ROLLING

Foam rolling is another pre-workout routine you must try. Have you ever had a massage? Well, foam rolling is pretty much like a deep self-massage! You roll over the hard foam around your calves, thighs, and back that helps loosen connective tissues and reduce muscle stiffness. 

This means better mobility, flexibility, and improved functioning. It can be painful when you are first starting, but with time, it becomes easier (less pain and discomfort). You could try different types of rolling exercises like calf roll, hamstrings roll, groin roll, glutes roll, etc. 

Benefits of Foam Rolling:

• Improved Mobility: Foam rolling helps release tension in muscles and fascia, which can become restricted due to exercise, poor posture, or sedentary habits. By alleviating these restrictions, joints can move more freely, enhancing the overall range of motion. Increased 
• Flexibility: Regular rolling can lengthen muscles and improve elasticity in the fascia, making it easier to stretch and move without stiffness. 
• Enhanced Muscle Function: By reducing tightness and improving blood flow, foam rolling can optimize muscle activation and performance during workouts or daily activities.
• Injury Prevention: Releasing muscle knots and improving tissue health can reduce the risk of strains or overuse injuries.
• Pain and Tension Relief: Rolling can alleviate discomfort from tight muscles, trigger points (knots), or delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) after exercise.
• Improved Circulation: The pressure from rolling stimulates blood flow, delivering oxygen and nutrients to muscles while aiding in the removal of metabolic waste.

SUPPLEMENTATION FOR INJURY PREVENTION

Essential amino acids are proven effective in muscle recovery and soreness. The benefits lead to reduced inflammation and can help the body prevent injury. 

You need to consume essential amino acids from food sources or supplementation. We highly recommend our BCAA that contain all 9 essential amino acids included in our BCAA.

Timing is a key component of supplementation and injury prevention. Ideally, taking before activity and post-workout. Vitamins and minerals are also added to all of our products to ensure that you are sufficiently fueled with these important nutrients to further help the recovery process.

CONCLUSION

Develop consistency into your daily training routine for injury prevention. Embed the proper preparation. Incorporate the right food and supplementation. Be sure to stretch, improve posture, and incorporate the right combination of strength and core training.

When in doubt, seek professional help if you end up injured. A nagging injury can persist and become something far worse. Developing healthy habits over time will be important to your injury prevention.