Filipinos have always loved taking a stroll… especially when they’re at shopping malls! On a more serious note, Pinoys everywhere in the world see walking and doing different forms of exercise as a way for them to keep themselves healthy.
However, for tasks as simple as walking, they are still prone to injuries including muscle pull and strain, sprained ankle, shoulder injury, knee injuries, shin splint, tendinitis, as well as wrist sprain or dislocation – all depending on the nature of the exercise being done.
‘No Pain, No Gain’
But the fear of getting hurt shouldn’t dishearten you – this is why medical experts from Prime Healthcare have shared these tips and guidelines to help you avoid injuries during your workout.
Warm-up and cool-down. Every workout should begin with a warm-up and end with a cool-down period. A warm-up helps your body get ready for exercise. It gradually increases your heart rate and loosens your muscles and joints. Some ways to warm up include: Riding an exercise bike, jump rope, as well as jogging in place for around 5 to 10 minutes.
Stretch. Do dynamic stretching before and after you work out. This will help increase flexibility. Research is conflicting as to whether it can also help prevent injury, it’s best to stretch after you warm up and cool down.
Ease into it. When you begin an exercise routine or start a new workout program, start slowly. Then gradually build up the intensity, duration, and frequency. Don’t push yourself too hard. As your fitness abilities increase, you will be able to challenge yourself more.
Cross-train. Vary your workout. Don’t overuse one set of muscles. Repeating the same muscle movements frequently can lead to overuse and repetitive-use injuries such as shin splints and tendinitis.
Alleviate the pain with ‘RICE’
Even with all the precautionary measures that you may do, injuries might still happen – which is why Prime Healthcare’s health experts have shared their ‘RICE’ method for Filipinos to easily remember what to do:
R: Rest the injury.
I: Ice the injury to lessen swelling, bleeding, and inflammation.
C: Apply a compression bandage to minimize swelling.
E: Elevate the injury, if possible, to reduce swelling.
After you have fully recovered from your injury — pain-free for more than a week — start back slowly. Don’t try to work out with the same fervor you did before your injury. You will need to rebuild your muscle strength and endurance. It may take 3 weeks of regular exercise to regain your pre-injury fitness level. If you push too hard and too fast, you may injure yourself again
If you’re concerned about the injury, it’s best to seek medical advice from experts like the seasoned medical professionals from Prime Healthcare. Until you are fully healed, don’t do the activity that triggered the injury. And avoid any activity that puts strain on the injured area.
