6 Mistakes When Returning to Sport
1) Too much exercise too soon. The body needs time to adapt to the demands you put on it. If you increase the amount of exercise you do too drastically from one week to the next, your body will not be able to recover sufficiently and you will get injured. Pace yourself. Limit yourself to 2 sessions a week for the first month before you ramp it up to 3-4 sessions per week.
2) Not enough variation If you are just getting back into your fitness journey and you are not willing to limit the amount of training sessions, at least add variation so that the load is spread over multiple muscle groups. For example, if lifting weights is your thing, supplement it with yoga or hiking, it’ll get you closer to your goals while giving overworked muscle groups a break.
3) Not enough sleep. Sleep is where the body heals itself after a tough training session. If you are not getting sufficient sleep your body will not recover from the last exercise session entirely. After enough time, the lack of recovery accumulates and the probability of injury increases.
4) Get a personal trainer - at least at the beginning. When we first pick up a new sport or exercise regime, drilling down proper technique is essential in preventing injuries. You might think that you know how to lift weights properly and safely but even professional athletes need guidance. You are no exception!
5) Eat real food and eat enough. If you’ve recently upped your exercise quota, you need to increase your fuel intake. Eating unprocessed foods will give your body the nutrients it needs to rebuild itself after your training sessions. If you increase your exercise dose but the amount you eat remains the same, your body is going to crash.
6) See your physio or osteopath if you experience new pains! It is important that if you feel old injuries resurface or new pains arise that they get addressed before they grow into bigger problems. Seeking help early saves money and a whole lot of frustration.
Written by Sports Osteopath - Theo Chapman
