5 Strength Exercises to Prevent Injury
If you’ve suffered from an injury before, or even want to look to prevent injuries from holding you back then imagine what it would mean to know key areas to work on. This article is exactly what you are looking for to arm you in preventing and recovering quickly from injuries.
Does having strong muscles help prevent you getting injured?
To avoid aches in vulnerable areas of our bodies such as your neck, shoulders, back, and knees, you may need to stabilise these areas by strengthening the muscles. Having strengthened muscles will prevent you from getting injured, either from normal day to day tasks or from more compound exercises you do on the gym floor.
This is our list of five exercises to avoid injury and how to perform them step by step:
It is a good idea to strengthen your rotator cuff muscles. One way to do this is to perform external rotations. Using a resistance band keep your arms at a 90-degree angle, driving your forearms outwards and keeping your wrists straight. This is an important muscle group as it helps when lifting or reaching overhead which can be used day to day to say comb your hair or lift a box, or in sport to play tennis and serve.
Many people are struggling with limited mobility around their thoracic spine area (Chest area). Improving mobility in this area will improve the biomechanics of your movement, making sure you’re using the correct muscle groups and aren’t overstraining any in particular. Adding a thoracic rotation into a superman position will further stabilise the back and the core muscles and your shoulder stability. To do this move, kneel with your palms flat on the floor facing forward. Place your hand on your neck elevating your elbow toward the ceiling. When you rotate back to the centre place your arm straight out in front of you and stretch the opposite leg out as well. Repeat these moves.
The number one cause of lower back injuries is poor core muscle stability. Performing exercises like the dead bugs will ensure that you improve that stability, just ensure that the core muscles are braced as you’re raising and lowering your limbs. These are fantastic to practise not only on the gym floor but in your day to day life. To perform this move lay flat on your back with your knees bent in the air and your arms out straight pointing at the ceiling. Next lower one leg straight (but not touching the floor) and stretch the opposite arm above your head. Alternate your arms and knees.
The next exercise is to help your knees and legs. Place one foot on a high step with weights in each hand. As you step up you are going to keep the foot that isn’t on the step elevated, making sure the foot on the step is flat and that you’re pushing your body weight up through the heel. When you lower your body you want to have your core braced and that your hips are leading the motion not your knees.
The final exercise is the almighty squats. Using resistance bands around your thighs ensures that your glutes and your abductors get more involved in performing the bodyweight squats. To complete this exercise place your feet slightly wider than your hips, then place your hands together elbows bent with your hands at chin height. Then bend your knees, squatting down until your hip joint is lower than your knees. Keeping your back straight, all the weight should be balanced in your heels and the balls of your feet. This exercise is fantastic not only for your knees and hip stability but also for your lower back protection, so make sure you include them in your workout.
These are the basic exercises we recommend to help injury prevention in otherwise healthy individuals. If you’re struggling with specific injuries or keep on having a recurring injury, please get in touch with us and one of our specialists will be more than happy to help you.