Injury advice from Patrick West Personal Training's latest newsletter

Injuries.....
Unavoidable? Whether you train as a fitness enthusiast, for health and well being, to compete at a sport or you simple keep active in day to day life then the chances are you will have come across some sort of physical complaint or injury. Maybe not severe or even so disruptive that you feel you need to do anything about. However, from simple problems such as tension in muscles to more complicated items like broken limbs are always present throughout peoples lives.

Firstly, it is part of everyones journey and realising this is the first step to accepting a more positive mind set when it happens. Some incidents occur as accidents. Others slowly over time. Either way most things can be treated and simply require a degree of attention, time and patience in order to get back to full working order.

We tolerate a lot of niggles that might be either avoidable or treatable in the immediate time span. Usually our own priorities are warped and our focus goes on other necessities and desires first as we neglect ourselves too often. when you think about what you spend on your car, house and luxuries compared to maintaining your health and well being theres no surprise we end up with discomforts.

injury doesn't always mean you have to stop what you are doing. If i bruise, damage or fatigue my lower limbs through exercise or training I can still work on my core or upper body. The point is whether injured or fatigues there are other components you can probably work on. Sometimes this is a great opportunity to identify and work on weaker areas of your physical abilities or study for when you are ready to go again.

A few key points to injuries...
1. They are going to happen, so when they do just view them as a temporary obstacle.
2. Most can be addressed by seeking the proper help, i.e. a physiotherapist, chiropractor, doctor,surgeon, etc.
3. Some can be avoided. A structured/guided approach to training is one. Stretching and preparing for movement is another. Or simply taking care if you are clumsy by nature.
4. Assess your lifestyle to see if injuries occur through repetitive movement, habits or bad techniques.
5. Treat injuries asap when they occur so they do not result in further complications. They may save you money in the long run, pain and allow you to continue & progress with your goals.

Do not let aches and pains persist as pain can gradually break down your mood and energy levels and make life more uncomfortable. Training and life is an ongoing process and injuries are merely obstacles that have a high probability of arising. Life isn't always helpful towards maintaining a balanced body and therefor we are often counteracting daily habits. Persist when ever these minor hurdles appear!