Fitness shouldn’t have to hurt

Misjudging one’s fitness level is also a major cause of workout injuries, say experts. Misjudging one’s fitness level is also a major cause of workout injuries, say experts. Photo: Fertnig / Getty Images Photo: Fertnig / Getty Images Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Fitness shouldn’t have to hurt 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

Everyone knows exercise is one of the keys to good health. Regular workouts — about 150 minutes of moderate exercise a week — are linked to a variety of benefits, including weight loss and a lower risk of everything from heart disease to some types of cancer.

But getting and staying fit isn’t without its risks. There are multiple ways to hurt yourself while working out. Some of the most common injuries are swollen muscles, sprains, strains and “a lot of itis-es,” says Tami Reilly, associate athletic director of fitness and wellness at Quinnipiac University in Hamden. That last category includes tendinitis, an inflammation of the tendons, and bursitis, an inflammation of the bursae — small fluid-filled sacks that cushion the bones, tendons and muscles near the joints.

Reilly says there are two main categories of people who get gym injuries: newbies who hurt themselves because they don’t know what they’re doing, and exercise veterans who overuse their muscles. “The repetitions over the years of doing these same activities can have a degenerative effect,” she says.

Raymond Scherer, a physical therapist at Greenwich Hospital, agrees overuse is a major problem among gym rats. “They may be working the same body part a lot” and not allowing it to recover, Scherer says.

Overuse injuries include the aforementioned tendinitis and bursitis, as well as stress fractures. Reilly says she has an overuse injury in one of her hamstrings that usually doesn’t bother her, except when she bends over. For these kinds of injuries, she says, there’s only one solution. “Overuse injuries are only repaired with rest and time,” she says.

On the other side of the coin are those who are new to — or rejoining — the fitness scene, and make a variety of mistakes, from doing activities beyond their fitness level, to using improper form when exercising to not knowing how to use machines correctly. “What I see all the time are people looking around furtively at the machines to see how the people around them are using them,” says Milford-based fitness coach Linda Gottlieb. “And usually, the people around them are using them wrong.”

Improper use of machines can lead to any number of injuries, including falling off the equipment. Gottlieb says the sad thing is that these injuries are easily prevented, as most gyms have staff whose job it is to tell people how to use the machines.

Scherer also attributes many injuries to poor form or improper technique. One key area where this happens is lifting weights. “If someone is using their back (instead of their legs) when lifting weights, that can definitely cause a back injury,” he says.

Misjudging one’s fitness level is also a major cause of injuries, Gottlieb says. “They have a different perspective of where they are in their fitness journey,” she says. “They may be 50, and think that they’re still 30, and can jump right back into their old fitness routines without an adjustment.”

That kind of thinking is a gateway to ouch-ville, Scherer says. “If anyone is going to start working out, the first thing they need to do is see a physician,” he says. The doctor will help the patient plan what kind of routine is best for them and might even walk them through things like safety and proper form.

Reilly echoes the need for proper fitness preparation, particularly given the way most people live their lives. “We’re spending so much time sedentary at our desks. Then we try to hit it hard for 30 to 40 minutes, and we hurt ourselves,” she said.

If you’ve already banged yourself up while exercising, don’t worry. In many cases, you can recover if you follow certain steps. Many experts recommend the R.I.C.E. method — Rest, Ice, Compression and Elevation — for treating most injuries.

In some cases, injuries will need to be treated by a doctor. The National Institutes of Health recommend seeing a physician if the injury causes severe pain, swelling or numbness; you can’t put any weight on the area; an old injury hurts, aches or swells, or a joint doesn’t feel normal or feels unstable.

And, perhaps most importantly, don’t play through the pain. Continuing to exercising when you’re already hurt often makes the injury worse. “Listen to your body,” Scherer says. “If something hurts, don’t do it anymore.”

acuda@ctpost.com