Avoid Injuries in the New Year!

Ahh, the new year! Full of promise and commitment to a fitter, healthier you. So lets keep it that way! Too often we see people jump in to their new exercise regime head first and end up injured.

1. Slow and steady
If you are starting up a new activity, whether it be the gym, running or competitive ironing, ease into things. Your body needs time to adapt to new stimulus, which means you need to temper your enthusiasm a little. Instead of running every day, for example, give yourself two or three days and stick to those until you have acclimated to this new exercise.

2. Recovery is just as important as exercise
Give yourself a few days off hard exercise each week. Going for a walk, an easy swim or even a simple stretch session and allowing your body a day to recover and repair is just as important as hitting it hard and putting in the effort.

Our physio Chris has recently started running, after doing basically no cardio for the past 10 years. Sitting at a svelte 105kg, it is important for him to manage the amount of running he does to prevent injury.

Currently, he runs twice a week – once for a longer distance (3-5km, walking when a break is needed) and once at a faster pace (4x500m with walking for recovery in-between).

Now, this is not a whole lot of running. But it allows for adequate recovery, and allows room for progression as Chris gets fitter. It is always easier to start easy and ramp up, than start too hard and wind up at the physio.