Technique and Injury Prevention – Hand in Hand?
Injury Prevention is the holy grail for most exercisers. You can’t stay fit and/or lose weight is you are injured. Is good technique the answer to your problems?
So what should you do to give yourself the best chance of staying fit and healthy?
Technique is probably the most important factor in injury prevention. If you are unsure about the correct technique, make sure a trained professional has assessed you technique before attempting anything complex or new.
I haer a lot of statements like; ‘I have been exercising like this for years and haven’t had any injuries, so my technique must be okay.’
Simply because you have always exercised in a certain way doesn’t mean it’s necessarily the right way. Injuries can occur after years of poor technique, it doesn’t have to be one specific event or exercise that causes the problem.
What practical things can I do to improve my technique?
1/ Keep your back in a neutral spine position. Whatever exercise you are doing, if someone put a pole against your back, it would touch on the back of your head, the back of your shoulders and the base of your spine. Adopting this position will mean you put the minimum strain possible on the discs and ligaments in your back.
2/ Perform repetitions in a slow and controlled manner. Doing certain exercises too quickly will put unnecessary strain through the joint. If you perform a chest press, if you go through the downward phase too quickly, you will be putting far too much stress through the shoulder joint.
3/ When you feel a twinge or niggle whilst exercising, stop and assess the problem. A lot of people choose to fight through the pain barrier, hoping the problem will just sort itself out. If something hurts you body is trying to alert you to a problem and by continuing to exercise you are turning what would have been a short-term problem, into a long-term one.
Today’s Takeaway – Take these simple tips on board and you will have a less interrupted training schedule and therefore be in a better position to reach you fitness goals.
