There’s nothing quite so frustrating as encountering an injury that really holds us back in the gym. It can be truly demoralising, finding routines that used to be easy as pie suddenly become truly troublesome. We can acquire injuries from the many places: playing sports, manual labour, even on a wild night out. And what happens in a second can make a big difference to our lives.
Fortunately, it’s not all doom and gloom. There are some injuries which are particularly common. This doesn’t mean the end of your gym career and the journey to that perfect body. Many injuries have simple and effective remedies that can have you back in ship-shape condition in no time.
Back Pain
Overdoing it on the dumbbells is a common perpetrator for a bad back. This can leave reaching down to pick up the gym card you dropped a massive challenge, let alone going to the gym itself. Visiting a professional masseuse and explaining the problem can really help things get back to normal. And you have the added bonus of getting a relaxing massage.
Dislocated Shoulder
It’s surprisingly easy to do and painful as hell. One the shoulder has been dislocated once it is prone to happen again and again. This can be when working out in the gym or getting overambitious when throwing a ball for the dog in the park. Once chronic shoulder disability sets in, it can really impact on our physical lives. Professional shoulder dislocation treatment is a tried and tested way of sorting out the problem.
Tight Hamstrings
This problem can make even the most mobile person stiff as an old scarecrow. The best methods to avoid tight hamstrings are preventive. Stretch thoroughly and properly before a workout or sports game. Take up less high-impact exercise activities like swimming and yoga. Do a round of lunges or squats before going running. And make sure to invest in a proper pair of trainers that will reduce the impact to your legs.
Torticollis
Torticollis means ‘twisted neck’ and can happen when lifting heavy weights. This can be really bothersome when looking forward to a good workout. It can be helped by resting, taking ordinary painkillers like paracetamol and working on improving your posture. Also, try rotating your neck in circular motions. This relaxes the muscles and can relieve tension. Once these remedies have been tried, torticollis should subside within 48 hours.
Stress
OK, so it might not be an injury exactly, but our frame of mind can really impact on our gym routine. If we are worked up and stressed out during training we may not focus properly on the exercises we are doing. This can lead to more injuries, which in turn can lead to sitting on the sofa feeling angry and miserable. We’ve talked before about the importance of sleep when transforming your body. You might also want to increase gentle exercise like walking into your daily routine. Or for the zen amongst you, there’s always the option of meditation.
