There is nothing worse than to get yourself rolling with a fitness routine, only to be stopped short with an injury. It happens all the time. Running, in particular, can quickly sideline many an enthusiastic runner. Maybe it's because jogging is one of those fitness endeavors that many of us embark on without any trainer to coach us, at the beginning of our new commitment to exercise.
Maybe it's because running can easily become the only workout you do - and repetition is terrible for muscles and joints.
And when you start to bring family-style workouts into your routine, running becomes even more hazardous. Consider the stops and starts of tag, the quick turns of soccer (not to mention a ball rolling around near your feet). A simple game of tag can easily turn into a week on the couch if you slip and do a split you weren't meant to do, twist an ankle or - as my husband experienced one miserable day - feel a terrible tearing feeling in your Achilles' tendon.
So to insure that all your fitness can continue to be fun - unmarred by injury, here are some simple tips:
• Build muscles through strength training. The best way to prevent injuries is to develop the muscle mass to hold your joints together and counter the stress you put on your limbs. This is especially true if you're just starting out. In late winter, early spring, for example, we place a particular emphasis on strength-training leg exercises so our muscles will be primed to go on the road.
Do not rely on your running around to build the muscles you need to safely run around! Do some simple calisthenics for your legs or use a weight machine and do some reps.
• Warm up and stretch. Stretching loosens your muscles before you exercise so they are less likely to contract unexpectedly or rip instead of extending with a movement. Do some light stretching before working out - or better yet, do a little warm up movement - a few squats, walk briskly a few minutes, a very brief jog and then stretch with warmer muscles.
Even more important than before-workout stretching is after workout stretching. Your muscles have just been put through their paces so this is the time to help them warm down without cramping up too much. But better yet, it's an excellent time to take advantage of super warm muscles to extend your flexibility.
• Wear the right shoes Soccer Cleat. My mom is sometimes appalled when she sees the number of shoes we have. But truthfully, the right shoes are essential for safe workouts. My husband and I each have a good pair of hiking boots, a pair of good running shoes and a pair of cleats. Our running shoes tend to pile up since we replace them every 6 months to a year in order to make sure that we're still getting the support and cushioning we need for running.
Cleats are good for the whole family but even more so for us big adults. Kids bodies have a lot more resiliency in them - their joints and muscles still have flexibility and the ability to bounce back that our bodies have lost with age.
My husband and I always wear cleats when we're playing tag, soccer or badminton on the lawn outside. And especially when it's dewy or after a rain. The $40-50 you spend on a decent pair of cleats will save you months of injuries and the healthy family time you miss out on because of them.
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