The Ultimate Guide to Injury Prevention

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Our bodies are designed for variety and need good quality rest to recover from activity. That’s why training too hard, too fast and doing the same movements too often can lead to injuries. So it’s important to listen to your body before, during and after your workout to make sure that you can keep doing what you love, for longer.  

Here’s everything you need to know about injury prevention in your sports.  

What to do before your workout 

Ask yourself what movement you need 

Before you even think about working out, you’ll want to check in with your body. If you’ve not done it before, it might seem a little long-winded. You just want to get out and go, right? After all, motivating yourself to get to the gym is sometimes hard enough.  

But we’re asking you to take a moment to listen to how your body is feeling today. Is it asking for a rest? (Be honest, now.) Or is it ready to give everything you’ve got?  

When you train with your body, rather than against it, you won’t be overexerting yourself.  

Check out your kicks 

How is your footwear looking? Unless you can see holes in the soles, you’ve probably never asked yourself that question. But wearing the right footwear for your sport means your body will have proper support. It’s why running in casual trainers will feel less comfortable and hurt a bit more than getting out in a proper pair of running shoes.  

Warm up. Enough said. 

Warm ups get your blood flowing, bring your heart rate up and give your muscles a good stretch. If you’re moving into a more intense workout, like Strength and Conditioning or swimming, warm ups are a non-negotiable.  

Start with some dynamic stretching and mobility work to get the most out of your training.  

What to do during your workout 

Check your technique  

Your body is going to come under strain if you’re training with the wrong technique. To find the right technique, tap into how your body feels. You’ll generally notice when something doesn’t feel right.  

You can also book in a one-off PT session to find out how to get the most out of your training. 

Load it up slowly  

We know, it’s a big flex when you’re lifting heavier than ever before. But to get there, you have to go slow. It’s a technique called ‘progressive overload’ and it’s all about building your muscles up by gradually increasing weight. 

If you increase weight on an exercise too fast, you could end up damaging your body. So it’s a good idea to stay slow and steady to achieve the weight that you want.   

Stop for a sip of water  

Your body needs hydration for nearly everything it does. And the same goes for your workouts. When you’re nicely hydrated, your joints will feel more lubricated, your muscles will be less stiff and you’ll be helping to move electrolytes around your body.  

Keep it varied  

Training the same exercises with the same muscles over and over can lead to fatigue which could cause injury. Keep things varied by breaking up your workouts. That could be switching up your classes every now and then or trying different machines or free weights exercises in the gym.  

What to do after your workout 

Cool down 

Just as important as warm ups are cool downs. They help to release lactic acid from your muscles, giving your body the chance to recover even easier. So, you’re not overtraining sore muscles in your next session.  

Recover well 

Speaking of recovery, doing it well is a good way to prevent injury in the future. Just what everyone wants to hear. It means getting enough sleep, giving your body the right food, putting active recovery days into your schedule and maybe even treating yourself to a massage.  

What to do if you’re into… 

…running 

To go the extra mile and keep your running injury free, you’ll also want to have a strong core and leg muscles. Mixing up your runs with strength training will help to build the muscles around your joints to reduce stress when you’re running - great for stopping injuries.  

When it comes to stepping up the distance, remember ‘progressive overload’. Moving from consistent 5k runs to a half marathon distance might feel exhilarating but without getting your body used to running those distances, you could find yourself getting injured.  

You can also use gait metrics to make sure that you’re running in the right shoes for your unique movement pattern. It’s usually a free service offered at running shops, if you want to give it a try.  

…weightlifting 

The most important principles for preventing injury in weightlifting are learning proper lift technique, warming your muscles up properly and progressively overloading to gradually add weight. For pointers on technique and to develop your strength over time, why not check out our Lift Club or Strength and Conditioning classes.  

…yoga or Pilates  

Yoga and Pilates are really great ways to increase blood flow around your body on active rest days, stretch out your muscles and strengthen your core. But to avoid injury, it’s important that you listen to your body. Only push your body until you feel a comfortable stretch, rather than trying to stretch as far as you can go. 

Don’t forget, staying injury free will help you train the things you love the most, for longer.  

Ready for your next workout? Check out all the group exercise classes available at Virgin Active.

Not yet a member? Find your nearest club and start your membership today.

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