Dr Adrian Rotunno, SEM physician and a Virgin Active expert advisor, shares the lowdown on avoiding repetitive strain and overuse injuries.
Repetitive strain and overuse injuries are commonly caused by:
#1 Failing to stretch or warm up before each workout and not cooling down afterwards.
#2 Not asking professionals, like a Personal Trainer or gym staff member, for help about how to use gym equipment correctly or how to structure your exercise routine properly.
#3 Not following a goal-directed or periodised exercise routine which may result in burnout. This kind of overexertion in your training schedule or gym routine may cause a chronic cycle of underperforming, overreaching, and even overtraining with a gradual decline in performance and resultant injury.
#4 Not incorporating sufficient rest or recovery days into your goal-directed training schedule. Rest and sufficient sleep help us to adapt to, and reap the hard work we put into our training routines.
#5 Not incorporating cross training into our workouts to strengthen various muscle groups and ligaments around our joints, so as to decrease the risk of repetitive strain injuries.
#6 Adopting a ‘no pain, no gain’ mentality that makes us push through at the first sign of discomfort or pain, which should serve as a warning flag.
#7 Not getting an early accurate diagnosis from a relevant specialist, when we suspect that something might be wrong.
If you need any help when you’re at the club, please don’t hesitate to reach out to a member of our team.
Happy training!