Health experts warn eager New Year gym-goers of injury risks from rapid increases in workout intensity, stressing gradual progress and proper precautions.
BEAUMONT, Texas — As millions of Americans begin the new year with fitness and weight-loss resolutions, health experts are cautioning that jumping into intense workout routines too quickly could lead to serious injuries.
Increasing physical activity ranks among the most common New Year’s resolutions, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Every January, gyms and fitness centers experience a surge in new members eager to lose weight and improve their health. However, injuries often increase during this time as people transition too rapidly into intense workouts, the American College of Sports Medicine reports.
A common mistake is attempting to compress three months of work into just three weeks, according to Dr. Clayton Hodges, an orthopedic surgeon with Christus St. Elizabeth in Beaumont.
“You have to have a goal that you’re working towards. You start at maybe 25% of that,” Hodges explained. “So if my goal is to run 15 miles a week, I’d start much lower than that, say, OK, my goal this week is 5 miles. If you do it at that pace, you’re much more likely to have sustainability. It’s kind of frustrating. You feel like, well, I’m not working as hard as I should early on.”
Failing to pace yourself properly can result in various injuries, including tendonitis, tendon inflammation, shin splints, and stress fractures in the foot, Hodges warns. He also emphasizes the importance of proper stretching techniques.
“Sitting on the floor, stretching out our hamstrings, stretching out our calves, and what we found is that actually increases the risk of injury a little bit when we’ve looked at it in studies,” Hodges said. “So dynamic stretching is what we recommend at the beginning of workouts now, and that’s doing things like arm circles, which seems a little ridiculous, but that helps get the body moving.”
While soreness after workouts is normal, anyone experiencing pain should stop immediately, the orthopedic surgeon advises. He also recommends additional preventive measures that people often overlook, such as replacing running shoes regularly and maintaining proper hydration throughout workouts.
