If one of your New Year’s resolutions was to get in shape, New Orleans orthopedic surgeon Dr. Richard Meyer warns that you should ease into your exercise program. Trying to get drastic results in a short amount of time can do more harm than good.
It’s important to know and respect your body’s limits, so he advises his patients to start with an exercise program that will slowly build their strength and endurance.
Nearly half a million workout-related injuries occur each year in the United States.
Your New Orleans orthopedic surgeon finds that the major causes of these injuries include people trying to do too much too fast and overusing their muscles. He also attributes poor technique during weight training and other exercise regimens as another cause of injuries.
For weight-lifting workouts, Dr. Meyer recommends beginning with a light- to moderate-intensity workout three times per week. The focus on these workouts should be on high-repetition, low-weight sets that emphasize larger muscle groups, including the shoulders, hips, pelvis and core.
It’s crucial to exhibit good form when lifting weights. In January of each year, your New Orleans orthopedic surgeon sees an increase in patients with wrist sprains and other hand injuries caused by improper weight lifting.
He advises them to keep their wrist straight when lifting weights, because many people tend to bend the wrist in or let it fall back, which increases the risk of a sprain or other injury.
It’s also a good idea to work with a personal trainer for a few weight lifting sessions to help you develop good form for your wrists and back and switching among workout routines for variety.
Rotating your workout routines helps prevent injuries caused by overuse and increases total overall fitness because of the use of many different muscles.
Overuse injuries can also be prevented by increasing your flexibility after every workout with a good stretching session.
Your New Orleans orthopedic surgeon advises that it’s important to pay attention to workouts by studying good form and letting your muscles rest. It may take a bit longer to get results, but in the end it will prevent injuries.
If you have any questions about how to avoid injuries for overusing your muscles, or are experiencing any muscle pain, feel free to call our office to schedule a consultation.