In these long dark days of winter, the gym offers an easy way to get on top of your New Year fitness goals. The last thing you want to do is injure yourself by overtraining or using gym equipment in the wrong way. Whether you’re an experienced gym visitor or a complete beginner, our osteopaths can help you prevent injury. If you’re recovering from a gym injury, we can support you to get back to your fitness regime more quickly and safely.
Osteopathy for gym injury
Many athletes opt for osteopathy as a way to sustain and improve performance and prevent injury. Osteopathy aims to maintain the whole body in an optimal, balanced state.
Osteopaths focus on finding the source of the ache or pain. The origin of the pain can be local to the injury or at some distance. Their work will support the body’s self-healing mechanisms to help you recover.
Osteopathy will improve circulation, which will help reduce inflammation and support the supply of nutrients to the injury site. This work is supplemented by expert, tailored advice on diet, sleep and gentle exercise to help you adapt your body and avoid re-injury.
Tips for starting a gym routine
Starting a fitness journey right is essential to laying the foundation for success. Our osteopaths share some top tips below:
- Warm up and warm down well
Warming up well is essential – a good routine prepares your body for exercise, and boosts circulation. Warming down will ease transition for your post-workout body and reduce aches and pains later on.
- Mobilise your joints and spine
Incorporating exercises to fully engage and mobilise your joints and spine before your workout means that you support your overall flexibility and ensure you protect vulnerable structures deeper inside.
- Listen to your body
Don’t push through pain if you feel something is wrong. Switch to a different exercise, work out a different area of your body or skip a day to allow for recovery.
- Go gradually
Plan your regime to make gradual progress, so your body can adapt slowly to new loading patterns and stresses.
- Plan recovery time
After a workout, plan a break from exercise for 24-48 hours before you go back to the gym.
- Hydrate
Drink water regularly, and include a small amount of Himalayan salt or sea salt to replace the salts lost through perspiration. This balance of salts supports muscle health.
Returning to the Gym After Injury
- Go slowly
It’s important to ease gently back into your fitness routine after injury. Begin at about 50% of your intensity and pace yourself. Listen to your body and increase weights or repetitions slowly.
- Plan recovery time
Wait 48 hours between workouts to prevent re-injury.
- Adopt good nutrition and sleep
Recovery and increasing performance rely on maintaining a balanced diet and good sleep habits.
- Prioritise Form
Focus on maintaining proper form and core strength rather than lifting heavy weights or intense repetitions. Ensure controlled movements.
Book your appointment now
Whether you are a beginner at the gym or returning to the gym after injury, our osteopaths can help you find the optimal form and posture to prevent recurrent injury and keep you on track with your fitness goals.
Our team can help you get back to your pain-free life as fast as possible. It couldn’t be easier to book your appointment with Osteo & Physio! Book a session via our app, website or call our friendly reception team on 0345 5577788.
