By Bonnie Sprinkle

I'm going to say it right here and now. There should be no exercise related injuries. Most are due to lack to balance, knowledge, nutrition or a combination of all Exercise should prevent and protect against injuries, not cause them. 

One of the many reasons folks give up on fitness is that soon after beginning is that they come up with a knee, back, shoulder or some other injury or discomfort in the joints. Over the years I’ve found that while on the surface many exercises seem safe and for “everyone” that in any program no matter how simple there are movements that could injure some of the participants. That is why group exercise classes, TV fitness shows and videos all have warnings if the movements cause pain then don’t do those, modify. And while that is good advice, somehow it is not enough. New exercisers or people who have been involved in poor fitness programs usually do not know the difference between tight and sore muscles or inappropriate pain. Most people when left on their own or with the typical group fitness instructor with one or two certification classes under their belts will continue to do the movements that will cause injury. So a week or two into the exercise that individual gives up due to that bad shoulder, hip or whatever. A trainer knowledgeable in muscle movement and balance would guide that person with an individual program that would strengthen certain week areas and enable that person to participate in more movements without injury. And if that were not the cause then the trainer should be knowledgeable enough to refer that person to a medical provider for further evaluation and guidance. There is where the problem lies, you won’t find any instructor who doesn’t claim knowledge. So the public continues to become injured, so on and so on.

One of the most common areas of injury or discomfort is the lower back. Most community fitness programs actually lead to more back discomfort since balance is not used, so after initial stretching and minimum strengthening of the back, problems continue. Not due to exercises exactly but due to the general focus of the programs that are equipment free. Most group fitness programs focus on abs work which can actually cause lower back discomfort and while stretching is good for the back and will help somewhat the larger back muscles need more resistance than one can provide through aerobics or stretching. Take the abs blasters advertised on TV. Many of you have a closet full of them and found that they were not the secret to tight abs. Either your back became uncomfortable or in pain or you just gave up due to lack of results. It wasn’t you, you did what the ads said. Why no results? Well, no results because exercising the abs is just a small part of the overall plan. Eating enough quality foods to allow for fat loss is number one. But also just important is exercising in a effective way that will give results and that you will still be doing 5, 20 or 40 years from now.

Another common problem area especially for women, but also men is the shoulder areas. I’d estimate that 90% of my new members complain of it. I can usually trace it back to a certain exercise or movement that they were doing before speaking with me. Many times an injured area is able to do the movement with slight discomfort so the participant will continue to do the offending movement over days weeks or even years time until it becomes a major issue. A fitness instructor trained in injury prevention would have spotted this and either recommended corrective exercises of a medical provider to look at. 

And why you say would anyone begin exercise and actually continue with it? Why not just get fit and quit? Well that is why most folks quit—looking for quick results—rather than the big picture. Wouldn’t it be nice to have energy, be flexible and toned? Many say it involves too much work and too strict of a diet. I say what's wrong with meat, fish, chicken, beans, potato, rice, sweet potato, rice, oatmeal, vegetables, & fruit? Water is the cheapest beverage and the best is still FREE! Too much exercise and you don’t have time? 45 minutes one, two or three days a week can produce amazing results.

So again I say: There should be no exercise related injuries. Most are due to lack to balance, knowledge, nutrition or a combination of all Exercise should prevent and protect against injuries, not cause them.