Strains are injuries to the muscles and ligaments of your body. These injuries cause pain and inflammation, affecting your ability to move or sit comfortably. Especially if you have an active lifestyle, taking steps to prevent injuries should be an important part of your routine.

Stretch Before Activity

Stretching should be an important part of any workout. A proper stretching routine need not be complicated to effectively prepare your muscles and ligaments for movement to prevent injury. By ensuring that your body is ready to do what you ask of it, you will be less likely to incur injuries during sports or exercise.

Strengthen Your Muscles

Strengthening your muscles provides support to the joints and decreases your likelihood of incurring injuries. Working your way up to more strenuous activities allows your body to adapt over time, building both strength and endurance. A common source of muscle injuries is doing too much too soon. If you are just beginning an exercise routine or learning a sport, take your time. Remember that your body requires conditioning to perform more vigorous or challenging activities.

Listen to Your Body

It’s essential to listen to your body, especially when you feel pain. Many people try to “work through the pain,” thinking it will make them stronger. However, the truth is that pain is your body’s signal to back down before you injure yourself. Muscle injuries often occur when you push yourself too hard and perform activities or motions that your body is not capable of doing safely. Constant or recurrent pain is a sign that you should visit an orthopaedic specialist for evaluation.

At Non-Surgical Orthopaedics, we specialize in the treatment of work and sports injuries, including muscle strains. You can learn more about how we will help you recover from injury to return to your daily activities without pain by calling 770-421-1420. If you’d like more information about preventing injuries and the importance of seeking orthopaedic treatment to achieve wellness, we invite you to click through our blog.