Suffering an injury is never fun. If you’re lucky, you get off with a simple sprained ankle or some soreness that lasts a few days. On the other end of the scale, though, injuries can last a lifetime and have a significant impact on your wellbeing. Getting proper treatment for any injury is key to getting back on your feet as soon as possible. But what about injury prevention and resilience? There are things you can do now to help prevent injuries from happening by making your body more flexible, stronger, and healthier. Here are six tips that can help you avoid getting hurt.
Rest When You Need It
Recovery time is critical when you’re exercising. Many injuries happen because people overuse muscles or joints. When you’re fatigued, you make up for it by adjusting your posture and other movements. These irregularities often lead to injury. One of the best ways you can prevent injury is to listen to your body and rest it rather than overwork it. You need to be in tune with your body and honest with yourself about when you need time off. That’s true of work, exercise, sport, and other physical activities.
Use the Right Gear
Whether you’re participating in sports, sitting at a desk all day, or going for an evening run, you need the proper gear to protect yourself from injuries. Every year, so many people get hurt because they’re using the wrong shoes, wearing the incorrect helmet size, or sitting in a bad chair. The right gear keeps your body in the correct position to perform certain tasks. It also lessens the impact on your joints and muscles while you lift or exercise. More and more stores are using customized services to help clients find the right fit and type of gear. At many running stores, professional runners will video your gait to see what shoes will fit your best. Furniture stores will measure desks and chairs to fit your body most comfortable and give you the support you need. Get the right gear and make sure you’re using it when appropriate.
Get Flexible
Flexibility and range of motion go a long way to prevent injuries. A lot of people get hurt because their bodies aren’t used to moving the way they want it to. Suddenly, you twist or pull a certain way and you hear a pop or feel something give and you’re on the couch for weeks. Even though every person starts in a different place with flexibility, thankfully, it can be learned. Stretching regularly, and even participating in activities like yoga that have a strong emphasis on flexibility, will help you make incremental improvements over time. The better you prepare your body and improve its range of motion, the better your odds will be of preventing injury.
Don’t Overlook the Potential of Peptides
In many recent studies, peptides, specifically peptide TB-500, are believed to promote things like cellular regeneration, muscle health, blood vessel growth, and cardiovascular health in rats and mice. These results are thought that they could potentially lead to shorter recovery times to prevent lasting injuries. Recent research on mice and rats lead to faster recovery times. That’s great news for all parties interested in future advances around injury rehabilitation.
Strengthen Muscle Groups
Many injuries happen because your body is compensating. Stronger parts take on larger burdens to make up for weaker muscle groups or tendons. Placing increased stress on body parts that shouldn’t be carrying that much weight or strain is a straight path to injury. To avoid overworking muscle groups, try strength training to build up your overall stability. Working out can start small and can be done anywhere, from inside your living room to at the park. There are a ton of different exercises you can use, even without gym facilities, to build muscle strength and promote overall health.
Nutrition Matters
You might be thinking, “What does eat certain foods have to do with preventing injury?” Well, injuries happen by accident, but they also happen when your body is not fit to do what you’re asking. Being overweight or dehydrated means your body isn’t well prepared for the stress you’re putting it through. That matters for walking down the street and playing basketball as a professional. What you fuel your body with is critical to preventing injury and staying healthy as much as you can.
