Ouch! Why You Keep Injuring Yourself
By admin
Good morning! Happy Sunday.
It felt so good to be able to wake up and make my pancake… it had been over 2 weeks since I had one so it was a wonderful start to the day.
Vegan blueberry pancakes with 1 tbsp sunflower butter and sugar-free syrup (all gone and will never be bought again)
Stupid Back!
Last week, Dan and I changed up our routines. Instead of focusing on crazy heavy weights, low reps, and high sets we went crazy and did a 180-change up. The new focus to confuse our bodies and see results?
Low(er) weight, high reps, and low sets. For example, our first exercise was deadlifts… 50 deadlifts! Of course you can rest when needed, but the goal is to get through the 50 in as few sets as possible. I went with 75 pounds (though I probably should have done 85). It was tough, but I made it through.
I wish I could say the same for my husband.
We were working about 50 feet apart from each other, and suddenly he walked over and simply said: 
“Oh shit, I think I tweaked my back… again.”
Sure enough, as the day went on his back got tighter and more painful. What better way to celebrate your birthday right? {image source}
And that again? Yup, this is actually a some what frequent occurrence. The same side of his back gets “tweaked” easily. It’s always the same muscle, always the same pain, and always the same recovery time of rest, massage and Advil.
Does this ever happen to you?
For some people it might be shin splits, knee pain, shoulder issues, and of course backs.
Why do injuries sometimes seem to never want to go away? Even after recover, it’s as if they have this urge to slowly creep back in and remind you of your weaknesses?
There are several reasons for reoccurring injuries, and once you realize yours and seriously take action you can finally give your injury the finger and move on with life.
Reasons For Reoccurring Injuries
You didn’t allow yourself to recover fully the first time.
Listen to your body and of course listen to your doctor. If you hurt something and are told to take off 3 weeks, then take off 3 weeks. Getting back into the game too soon can do more harm than good. It doesn’t make you a tougher person, I promise. Been there done that.
Poor Form.
Are you re-tweaking something doing the same move that injured you the first time? Make sure to have a trainer watch your form to make sure you’re doing things correctly. Deadlifts and squats are the two exercises I see done with bad form on a daily basis. Do them wrong and you will end up with a hurt back. Dan and I monitor each other a lot, especially when we’re adding weight and form can suffer.
You’re Inflexible.
Not in your opinions, but literally… you’re stiff as a board. Having tight hip flexors, IT-bands and lower back can cause serious havoc on your body. This is actually Dan’s issue and we are working into getting more involved in Yoga to help his stretch out and become more flexible so that strength training becomes safer.
Warm-ups Are Stupid.
Do you actually warm up before starting your workout? Or do you walk into the gym and just dive right in? Warming up the body helps to increase blood flow, stretch out the muscles/ligaments/tendons and to prepare the body for what’s to come when you get started. Spend just 10 minutes doing body weight exercises and dynamic stretches (lunge walks with a hold/high knees/frankenstein kicks/etc). Cars might be able to go 0 to 60 in a few seconds, but we can’t. Take your time. This is something else Dan is going to be focusing more on!
Proper Gear.
When it comes to injuries such as shin splints, knee pain and other leg/feet issues… check your shoes. When was the last time you invested in a new pair of workout shoes? And are they the right kind for you?
I used to get shin splints ALL the time when I first started running in college. It took me a while to realize it wasn’t me, it was my shoes. While I have nothing against Nikes, I have learned they just don’t compliment my body well. Everytime I got a new pair I would end up on the floor with ice on my shins… well, until I ended up with a cast because the splints turned into fractures.
Find a shoe that works for you and replace it when necessary! I can’t tell you how many women I see wearing shoes that are a least 2 years old.
Other gear that can help: compression clothes/socks. Compression helps muscle recover and adds support. When I first started running longer distances, I was having some feet pain. Someone convinced me to try compression socks… and voila! The pain has disappeared.
Deyhdrated.
Do you drink water like you should? This is something I am always working on! I am just not a naturally “thirsty” person. But by not hydrating you put yourself at greater risk of muscle pulls, longer recovery times between workouts and poor workouts. Drink up! Aim for 2 liters/day… if not 3!
And of course, talk with your doctor to make sure you are not self diagnosing an injury! And to ensure proper care.
What’s your trouble spot?
Do you seem to get injured often?
For me, it’s my back. But that is because of my herniated disc and I’ll always have to deal with it. Fortunately by working out and keeping a strong core, I have been able to avoid making it worst or having a flair up!
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