While each of us is doing all that we can to abide by stay-at-home orders, many people have gotten incredibly creative when it comes to being active. Whether it’s running outdoors, practicing yoga online, or working out within the comfort of your own home, there are plenty of ways that people have proven just how easy it can be to stay physically active, even during quarantine.
This means, however, that injuries due to exercise could happen more frequently at home. Gyms are meant to be safe, with their equipment checked regularly and spread out enough to help prevent trip and fall accidents. Your home, on the other hand, may not be designed specifically for exercise—meaning there could be potential hazards.
The Best Ways to Prevent Exercise Injuries at Home
1. Clear enough floor space to spread out properly.
The last thing you want in your “home gym” is to trip over a medicine ball or kettlebell and seriously injure yourself. Make sure you’ve cleared away the proper amount of space in your room to really move around without the fear of tripping. Of course, if you’re staying relatively stationary during your work out, you won’t have to worry about making too much space.
2. Spend 5-10 minutes warming up and cooling down during each workout.
Injuries are far more likely to happen when you haven’t warmed up before your work out. Strains and sprains often happen while muscles and joints and cold and stiff. Be sure to spend 10 minutes or so warming up before you exercise, and just as much time cooling down at the end to slow your heart rate.
3. Check your gear and equipment.
Make sure any equipment you plan to use at home is functioning properly. Particularly if it’s been a while since you’ve worked out at home, it’s a great idea to give everything a thorough look-over. This is also the perfect time to check that your shoes are in good shape and they haven’t lost their cushioning or support.
4. Listen to your body. Don’t overdo it.
When you’re exercising at home, there’s usually no one around to help ensure that you’re being safe. The most important thing is to listen to your body. Push yourself to your edge, but don’t go past it. It’s incredibly easy to get injured when we aren’t paying attention to what our bodies need and forcing them to go further than they’d like.
5. Drink plenty of water.
Dehydration is another common cause for injury during exercise. Just because you’re in the comfort of your own home, it doesn’t mean you should forget about the water. Staying hydrated is a great way to help prevent injuries like strains or muscle cramps.
Slip and Fall Accidents and Traumatic Brain Injury
According to the CDC, one of the leading causes of traumatic brain injuries are slip and fall accidents. Knowing this, it’s even more important to keep your exercise space clean and organized. Move furniture and equipment out of the way where necessary, and always be aware of your surroundings.
Traumatic brain injuries are not to be taken lightly. If you sustain a TBI, be sure to reach out to an experienced personal injury attorney who can help ensure you receive the support and compensation you deserve.
There are also times when a personal injury attorney may refer you to a medical malpractice attorney if you did not receive the appropriate medical care you needed in a timely manner due to a misdiagnosis or simple negligence on the doctor’s part. In cases like those, you want an attorney like Steinberg Goodman & Kalish on your side to fight for you.
Follow these tips and know whom to contact if you need an attorney, should the case arise, in advance.
