Preventing The Most Common Injury
Before you lift that heavy object...
Ever have a “sleeping injury”?
Whenever I wake up with a kink in my neck, my husband and I joke that sleeping is an extreme sport.
The truth is that the majority of injuries don’t happen at the gym.
They happen while doing everyday activities.Like losing your balance while climbing up on a step stool.
Or straining your neck while grabbing something from the backseat of your car.
Or throwing out your back picking up a bag of dog food.
Why This Matters
Getting injured can sideline you from reaching your fitness goals, and derail your nutrition habits. Without a plan for recovery and rehabilitation, prolonged inactivity can lead to further health risks like high blood pressure and heart disease.
FITNESS SIMPLIFIED
So what can you do to avoid these everyday injuries?
It starts with building strength that supports your real life.
Fitness Tip To Train for Everyday Strength
Learn how to safely lift and carry heavy objects
Most injuries from daily tasks can be avoided by improving your strength, balance, flexibility, and coordination.
A smart, consistent workout routine can help.But so does learning HOW to move properly while performing everyday activities.
One of the most common causes of avoidable injuries?
Lifting and carrying something heavy.
So let’s break down how to do it safely—with a little help from my fluffy sidekick, Enzo. 🐶
How to Lift & Carry Heavy Objects WITHOUT Getting Hurt!:
- Square yourself up with the object straight on - try not to lift it from the side
- Think “hips below shoulders” when grabbing it and stand up strong, using your legs
- At the top, DON’T lean backwards! Come to neutral and squeeze your glutes & abs to lock you in firmly
Extra tip: Always think “hips below shoulders” when picking something up. This is a good reminder for how to get your body into the right position so that your hips and legs do the lifting, NOT your low back.
Did You Know...
- Losing your muscular strength, flexibility, balance and coordination as you get older puts you the MOST at risk for injuries when doing everyday activities. But each of these fitness aspects can be easily trained and maintained.
- If you’re a “weekend warrior” - someone who spends the work week sitting at a desk and then compresses all of their activity into the weekends - you’re at a much greater risk for a pulled groin, hamstrings strains, shin splints, sprained ankles, and IT band syndrome.
- If you do get an injury, applying ice for the first 48-72 hours is the best plan of action. Also, rest the area, take anti-inflammatories and focus on your nutrition. This will set you up for the best and quickest recovery.
NUTRITION SIMPLIFIED
Don’t let your nutrition take a backseat when you experience an injury.
Nutrition Tip of The Week
Eat lots of protein
When you’re sidelined from activities with an injury, your food choices may be quick to go out the window too.
You may even think “I can’t exercise as much, so I might as well eat whatever I want, too.”
What you eat plays a huge role in how quickly and thoroughly you’ll recover from your injury.
And the nutrient that matters most during recovery is protein.Protein is essential for healing bone cells, muscle cells, tendons, and ligament.Plus, after an injury, you’re probably not as physically active, so your muscles are at a higher risk for atrophy.
Eating lots of protein can help prevent this from happening.
Other nutrients to aim for are Omega-3 fatty acids, fruits and veggies rich in Vitamin C, and zinc, which all help to manage excess inflammation and promote tissue repair as you recover.
Also, make sure that you’re always staying well hydrated!
Shrimp with Quinoa and Avocado Mango Salsa
More protein-rich ideas:
- 2-3 Scrambled eggs with avocado & fruit
- (🍃Plant based!) Quinoa bowl with beans & peas, plus cucumbers and tomatoes
- Baked chicken with roasted potatoes and broccoli
MINDSET SIMPLIFIED
Don’t try to be a superhero.I’ve seen so many women get hurt simply because they didn’t stop to think about their form.
Or they carelessly pushed their bodies too far.
Know your physical limits.
If something feels too heavy or awkward, adjust the load or ask for help.
Then start training those limitations by building strength in those areas.
As you get stronger, you’ll lower your risk of getting hurt.
Mindset Tip of The Week
Know your physical limits
THE TAKEAWAY
Everyday injuries often happen during simple tasks (not workouts) so building strength, balance, and awareness in real-life movements is key. Knowing your limits and practicing how to move safely can help you stay strong and injury-free.
- Learn how to safely lift and carry heavy objects
- Eat lots of protein
- Know your physical limits
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
Self Care Simplified podcast
Ep 303. Increasing Muscle Mass - How much weight should you lift?
Ep 292. Easy Ways to Reduce Your Risk of Injuries from FAlling (start these now!)
Ep 287. Lift Safe! Tips on How to Life Heavy Objects and Avoid Injury!
SPECIAL RESOURCE
Most everyday injuries are due to falls, and the majority of these falls can be totally avoided with better balance training! Follow along with this video to learn some really important - but simple! - tips for building better balance.
Simple Tips for Better Balance
Until next week... Be strong
