Gym workouts and PAIN risks

It is January, so of course the gym is maxed out with new members. So whether you are new to the wellness center world or a veteran, here are some INJURY RISKS I have seen.

1. Doing squats/wall squats with wrong technique. This can cause knee pain if your knee position is wrong consistently. When you are in the squat, be sure that your knees are behind your toes. Imagine a vertical line from your toes upwards. Your knees should remain behind that line the whole time you squat.

2. Using the treadmill if you have a limp. I love working out on the treadmill, but it is not for everyone. If you have a leg or back problem which causes you to limp, a different cardio exercise would be more appropriate for you, to keep you from further injury (especially to your back).

3. Pushing through injury pain in order to complete your workouts. You can safely push through the discomfort of muscles being challenged in new ways. Just be sure you know which muscles are being strengthened with each exercise. However, some pain is not your usual workout discomfort. It is actually an injury or the start of one. In that case, you could end up needing PT.

4. Doing inappropriate exercises for your age. For example, I recently saw a fifty-something-year-old doing single leg plyometrics (jumping drills) toward the end of the workout. Plyometrics are meant to be sports-specific and age-appropriate, and they should be done at the beginning of a workout.


Keep up your hard work, and be wise in your workouts! God bless you!