Which Gym Injuries are on the Rise and Why
Whatever you hope to achieve by going to gym, we can bet it’s probably not to get injured. According to recent studies by the University of Arkansas, however, there has been a significant increase in gym injuries over the past several years. Personal trainer, Justin Price, believes that the two main reasons for workout-related injuries are:
1. Poor posture during the day, which weakens the entire musculoskeletal structure, and
2. People trying to do too much too fast in terms of repetitions and weight.
Matt Hanks, an exercise physiologist wish OSF St. Joseph Medical Centre, goes further by explaining that while men suffer more muscle strains from lifting weights that are too heavy, women have more overuse injuries due to too many sets and repetitions. Regarding the kind of gym injuries that are becoming more regular, we’re going to explore the top five that have become almost commonplace in workout circles.
Ankles and Feet
As a result of the way in which people work (crouched over in front of their computers for hours on end with their shoulders rounded over) the strain on feet and ankles begins to take its toll. When your shoulders are rounded and you stand up, your weight falls on the front of your foot and results in a misplaced sense of gravity. Once you put your feet into your running shoes, your feet and ankles bear the brunt of the impact resulting in regular injuries and sometimes more serious problems, such as anterior compartment syndrome, lateral compression syndrome, and bunions.
The Knee
Another injury resulting from work is that of the knees. If your feet aren’t stable and hip muscles are kept stationary, thereby becoming weakened as you sit all day long, your knees take on all the stress of the workouts you do. More stress on the knees means you’re more likely to injure them and develop what could be a nagging condition that cannot be treated easily.
If you think you’ve heard enough when it comes to the damage your day job is doing while you’re at gym, you’re set to hear more. If you sit round-shouldered all day at your desk before going to gym, your back cannot extend properly in the way it needs to in order to prevent injury. This means that you’re likely to achieve nothing other than soreness when trying to do an overhead shoulder lift, which could potentially even end in more permanent and serious injury in the long run.
Shoulder
While we acknowledge we’re beginning to sound like a broken record, your desk job is doing even more damage to your gym ambitions, particularly when it comes to your shoulders. Your arms have to rotate internally when you type on your keyboard all day, which adds unnecessary pressure on your shoulders. This means that when your gym routine requires the use of your shoulders, you’ll do so with the habitual internal rotation. This could see you developing supraspinatus tendonitis, which is an injury of the rotator cuff that comes from overuse.
Neck
As a result of the four other common gym injuries, you may begin to suffer from neck strain. As if hunching your back and arching your neck all day doesn’t do damage enough, using a poor posture while at gym is where the real trouble begins. A lack of extension and mobility in your neck then adds additional stress on your lower back and neck, making the vicious circle of gym injuries worse.