Exercise can definitely make us feel pained or out of sorts at times, but there are good pains and there are bad pains. Good pains tend to occur post workout, and they feel like dull aches in our muscles. The bad kind of hurt, the kind that signifies the presence of an injury, is typically sharp and focuses on a single specific spot. It typically begins as a twinge which does not go away, and that eventually evolves into full grown pain.

The first thing that you need to know when it comes to dealing with exercise injuries is an acronym called RICE. RICE is the general rule for treating the good kind of hurt, which involves R for Rest, I for Ice, C for Compression and E for Elevation.

Rest: You should make a point to avoid any activities that are going to aggravate the injury. Rest could mean something as simple as a couple of days off, or as serious as a much longer recuperation.

Ice: The ice is going to help to reduce the swelling through the restriction of blood flow. If you ice the area where the problem lies for a period of fifteen to twenty minutes four three to four times per day, it should reduce the swelling significantly. This action is recommended for as long as you hurt.

Compression: Make sure that you are putting pressure on the site of the injury in order to help to keep the swelling down. You are going to want to wrap the compression wrapping tightly enough around the body part that you can feel tension, but not enough that numbness will be caused or circulation cut off.

Elevation: You should be elevating the injured area in order to reduce the amount of swelling.

As always, you should be following your own instincts when it comes to injuries from exercise. If you feel as if you are suffering from debilitating pain, or if you cannot reasonably perform your typical every day activities, then you should make a point to consult your family physician as quickly as you can.

Keep in mind what the nine most common injuries are from fitness. When you know what they are, they can help you better determine whether you are dealing with good exercise pain or bad exercise pain. The most common nine injuries from fitness are lower pain in the back, sprains and strains, Achilles tendonitis, rotator cuff pain, knee pain, tennis elbow or golf elbow, neck pain and chafing.

There is really nothing that will be more disappointing than being sidelined as a result of an injury. Make sure that you use common sense, that you implement good form and that you follow precautions in order to prevent injury while keeping yourself on track.

Photo Credits: Vicky TGAW

Originally posted 2009-09-11 03:40:38. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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exercise, injury, Weight Loss Journal, wellness