Exercise Injury Prevention – 10 Tips for Injury Prevention During Exercise

How to prevent injuries while exercising

By Elizabeth Quinn, About.com Guide

Updated December 30, 2010

About.com Health’s Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board

Gradually Increase Time and Intensity².
When starting an exercise program, many people have lots of enthusiasm initially, and go too hard, too soon. Begin with moderate exercise of about 20 minutes, 3 times a week and gradually build upon this. You can also use the perceived exertion scale³ to determine the best exercise intensity for you.

Visit a Personal Trainer⁴.
If you just don’t know what to do or where to begin, a good trainer will get you started safely and help you learn enough to work out on your own if you choose. A few initial sessions may be all you need.  

Warm Up Before Exercise⁵
A proper, gradual warm up goes a long way to prevent injuries. The warm up can consist of walking, jogging or simply doing your regular activity at a snail’s pace.

Don’t Workout on Empty⁶.
While you don’t want to exercise immediately after eating a large meal, eating about 2 hours before exercise can help fuel your exercise and help you avoid bonking during your workout.

Drink Before You Exercise⁷.
Dehydration can kill your performance, so stay well hydrated. Try to drink 16 oz. of water in the two hours before your workout and then take in water during your workout to replace any lost fluids.

Listen to Your Body⁸.
If you experience any sharp pain, weakness or light-headedness during exercise, pay attention. This is your body’s signal that something is wrong and you should stop exercise. Pushing through acute pain is the fastest way to develop a severe or chronic injury. If you don’t feel well, you should take some time off until your body heals.  Also See: Should I Exercise with a Cold or the Flu?⁹

Take Time for Rest and Recovery¹⁰.
In addition to getting enough sleep, it is important to take some rest days. Working out too much for too long can lead to overtraining syndrome¹¹ and possibly reduce your immunity¹².

Cross Train.¹³
In addition to helping reduce workout boredom, cross-training allows you to get a full body workout without overstressing certain muscle groups.

Dress Properly for Your Sport.
This includes using appropriate safety equipment for your sport, choosing proper footwear¹⁴, replacing running shoes as needed¹⁵ and weaing clothing that wicks sweat and helps keep you cool and dry. Read more about how to layer clothing¹⁶ for cold weather exercise.

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