| Effective ways to
avoid injuries
The most powerful medicine for injuries is prevention. Here are some
effective ways to avoid injuries:
1. Build up your level of activity
gradually over the weeks to come.
- Try not to set your goals too high - otherwise you will be tempted
to push yourself too far too quickly.
- For activities such as jogging, walking briskly and jumping rope,
limber up gently and slowly before and after exercising.
- For other activities, build up slowly to your target zone, and cool
down slowly afterwards.
2. Listen to your body for early warning
pains.
- Exercising too much can cause injuries to joints, feet, ankles and
legs. So don't make the mistake of exercising beyond early warning pains
in these areas or more serious injuries may result. Fortunately, minor
muscle and joint injuries can be readily treated by rest and aspirin.
3. Be aware of possible signs of heart
problems such as:
- Pain or pressure in the left or mid-chest area, left neck, shoulder
or arm during or just after exercising. (Vigorous exercise may cause a
side stitch while exercising - a pain below your bottom ribs - which is
not the result of a heart problem.)
- Sudden lightheartedness, cold sweat, pallor or fainting. Ignoring
these signals and continuing to exercise may lead to serious heart
problems. Should any of these signs occur, stop exercising and call your
doctor,
4. For outdoor activities, take appropriate
precautions under special weather conditions.
On hot, humid days:
- Exercise during the cooler and/or less humid parts of the day such
as early morning or early evening after the sun has gone down.
- Exercise less than normal for a week until you become adapted to the
heat.
- Drink lots of fluids, particularly water - before, during and after
exercising. Usually, you do not need extra salt because you get enough
salt in your diet. (And a well-conditioned body is better able to
conserve salt so that most of the sweat is water.) However, if you
exercise very vigorously for an extended time in the heat (for example,
running a marathon), it's a good idea to increase your salt intake a
little.
- Watch out for signs of heat stroke - feeling dizzy, weak, light-
headed, and/or excessively tired; sweating stops; or body temperature
becomes dangerously high.
- Wear a minimum of light, loose-fitting clothing.
- Avoid rubberized or plastic suits, sweatshirts, and sweat pants.
Such clothing will not actually help you lose weight any faster by
making you sweat more. The weight you lose in fluids by sweating will be
quickly replaced as soon as you begin drinking fluids again. This type
of clothing can also cause dangerously high temperatures, possibly
resulting in heat stroke.
On cold days:
- Wear one layer less of clothing than you would wear if you were
outside but not exercising. It's also better to wear several layers of
clothing rather than one heavy layer. You can alwaysremove a layer if
you get too warm.
- Use old mittens, gloves, or cotton socks to protect your hands.
- Wear a hat, since up to 40 percent of your body's heat is lost
through your neck and head.
On rainy, icy or snowy days:
- Be aware of reduced visibility (for yourself and for drivers) and
reduced traction on pathways.
5. Other handy tips are:
- If you've eaten a meal, avoid strenuous exercise for at least 2
hours. If you exercise vigorously first, wait about 20 minutes before
eating.
- Use proper equipment such as goggles to protect your eyes for
handball or racquetball, or good shoes with adequate cushioning in the
soles for running or walking.
- Hard or uneven surfaces such as cement or rough fields are more
likely to cause injuries. Soft, even surfaces such as a level grass
field, a dirt path, or a track for running are better for your feet and
joints.
- If you run or jog, land on your heels rather than the balls of your
feet. This will minimize the strain on your feet and lower legs.
- Joggers or walkers should also watch for cars and wear light-
colored clothes with a reflecting band during darkness so that drivers
can see you. Remember, drivers don't see you as well as you see their
cars. Face oncoming traffic and do not assume that drivers will notice
you on the roadway.
- If you bicycle, you can help prevent injuries by always wearing a
helmet and using lights and wheel-mounted reflectors at night. Also,
ride in the direction of traffic and try to avoid busy streets.
- Check your shopping malls. Many malls are open early and late for
people who do not wish to exercise alone in the dark. They also make it
possible to be active in bad weather and to avoid summer heat, winter
cold or allergy seasons.
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