One of the most significant barriers to good health and well-being is injury. Getting injured can keep you from living a productive life as well as prevent you from being more physically active. Among Australians, the top three causes of hospitalisation from injuries are falls, contact with objects, and transport mishaps. Falls were also the top cause of mortalities from injury.
The good news is that injuries are preventable. One way to ward off the risk of injury is through strength or resistance training, the use of resistance to build strength, endurance, and muscle mass. Incorporating injury prevention exercises into your routine may not only enhance your performance but will also safeguard your body against common injuries.
The Top 10 Injury Prevention Exercises
Here, we present some of the best exercises to keep you strong, agile, and injury-free:
- Squats
The squat is a fundamental compound exercise that targets multiple muscle groups, including the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and core. By improving lower body strength and stability, squats can help fortify the joints and reduce the risk of knee and lower back injuries. You can use your body weight, resistance bands, or free weights for this exercise.
How to perform squats:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart with your toes facing forward
- While engaging your core and driving your hips backward, bend at the knees and ankles
- Sit down into a squat pose in a position parallel to the ground. Keep your chest up, shoulders back, and heels and toes on the ground
- Go back to the starting position by activating your glutes and straightening your legs
- Repeat 10-15 times
- Deadlifts
Deadlifts strengthen the posterior chain, including the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. Performing deadlifts with proper form not only builds strength but also enhances hip mobility and reinforces the spine, reducing the likelihood of back injuries.
How to perform deadlifts:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart
- Bend your knees slightly, lean forward with your torso, and keep your hips back, then, grab a barbell or pair of dumbbells with your hands shoulder-width apart
- Stand up and pull the weight while keeping your arms straight. Pushing your feet onto the floor and hips forward, while squeezing your abs and glutes at the top of the movement
- Go back to the starting position by lowering the weight to the floor while bending your knees and pushing your glutes backward
- Repeat 10-15 times
- This exercise can also be performed using resistance bands
- Lunges
Lunges are unilateral exercises that enhance balance, coordination, and leg strength. By addressing muscle imbalances and improving stability, lunges contribute to injury prevention, particularly in the knees and ankles. You can use your body weight, kettlebell, barbell, or dumbbells for this exercise.
How to perform lunges using your body weight:
- Step forward with your right leg by bending your knee while keeping your chest upright and squeezing your core
- Drive your right leg up using your front heel and step back onto the starting position
- Repeat for the other leg or repeat using the same leg for 10-15 repetitions
- Planks
Planks are renowned for their ability to strengthen the core muscles, including the abdominals, obliques, and lower back. A robust core stabilises the spine and pelvis, reducing the risk of lower back pain and injuries during dynamic movements.
How to perform planks:
- Keeping your elbows beneath your shoulders, extend your legs as you get down on the ground while resting your weight on your elbows and toes
- Create tension by squeezing your glutes and core, contracting your lower, middle, and upper back
- Gaze down and keep your neck in a neutral position
- Hold for 15-30 seconds
- Glute Bridges
Glute bridges target the glutes and hip extensors, both crucial for hip stability and proper alignment. Having strong glutes can keep you safe from injuries like IT band syndrome and knee pain. Strong glutes can also support your body’s movement and reduce the impact when you run or jump.
How to perform glute bridges:
- Lie down on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor and shoulder-width apart, with your toes pointing forward. Keep your arms on your side with your palms turned toward the ceiling
- Lift your hips upward while engaging your glutes and abs, raising your hips as high as you can short of arching your back, forming a straight line from your knees to your hips and shoulder
- Hold for 2-4 seconds then go back to the starting position by lowering your hips to the floor
- Perform for 10-15 repetitions
- Shoulder External Rotation
Shoulder external rotation exercises target the rotator cuff muscles, which play a vital role in shoulder stability and injury prevention. Strengthening these muscles helps maintain proper shoulder alignment and reduces the risk of rotator cuff injuries, especially in athletes involved in overhead activities like throwing and swimming.
How to perform shoulder external rotation:
- Bend your left arm, with your palm up, in front of your body, holding the left wrist with your right hand
- Push your left arm outward, pulling backward using your right arm. Hold for 5 seconds, relax.
- Perform the same movement using the other side.
- Band Pull-Aparts
Band pull-aparts strengthen the muscles of the upper back and shoulders, promoting scapular retraction and improving posture. By counteracting the effects of prolonged sitting and forward shoulder posture, band pull-aparts mitigate the risk of shoulder impingement and related injuries.
How to perform band pull-aparts:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a resistance band in front, gripping it slightly wider than shoulder-width
- Keep your arms straight with only a slight bend at the elbows
- Pull the band apart horizontally until your hands are in line with your body and the band touches your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades as you pull the bands apart
- Hold at the top then return to the starting position
- Repeat 10-15 times
- Clamshells
Clamshell exercises target the hip abductors, including the gluteus medius, crucial for hip stability and alignment. Strengthening these muscles aids in preventing common injuries such as IT band syndrome, knee pain, and hip impingement by maintaining proper pelvic alignment and reducing excessive hip adduction during movement.
How to perform clamshells:
- Lie on your side, keeping your knees and hips on top of each other, keeping your knees bent toward your chest
- Lift your top knee toward the ceiling while keeping your feet together. Avoid rotating your lower back.
- Hold at the peak, then, come back to the starting position
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions
- Calf Raises
Calf raises strengthen the calf muscles and are essential for ankle stability and shock absorption during weight-bearing activities. Strong calves help prevent ankle sprains and Achilles tendon injuries by improving proprioception and reducing excessive ankle pronation.
How to perform calf raises:
- Stand tall, hold on to a wall, or keep your hands on your sides for balance, with your feet hip-width apart
- Slowly raise yourself on the balls of your feet, then, pause at the top
- Return to the starting position
- Repeat 10-15 times
- This exercise can also be performed using free weights
- Balance Exercises
Balance exercises, such as single-leg stance and stability ball exercises, improve proprioception and neuromuscular control, reducing the risk of falls and related injuries. Incorporating balance training into your routine enhances joint stability and coordination and is essential for injury prevention.
Important note: The information presented above is general in nature and does not take your personal condition or situation into consideration. It is intended to show the correct exercise technique and should not be used to self-diagnose or self-treat any medical condition. If your pain persists or you experience difficulty performing an exercise, see your experienced Exercise Physiologist for guidance.
Other ways to prevent injuries
You can take other preventive measures to ward off the risk of injuries. These include the following:
- Warm up and cool down properly before and after your physical activity
- Perform each exercise with the proper technique and form
- Take adequate rest in between sets of your routine and between training days
- Alternate training days for muscle groups to avoid excessive soreness and allow the muscles to recover
- Perform stretching exercises to keep yourself flexible
- Hydrate well to avoid heatstroke or heat exhaustion
- Use the right gear or equipment
- Steer off exercise if you experience pain
Physio exercises for preventing and treating injuries
Injury prevention is vital for maintaining your long-term health and fitness. By incorporating these injury prevention exercises into your routine, you can fortify your body against common injuries and optimise your performance in any physical activity. Remember to prioritise proper form, progression, and consistency to reap the full benefits of these exercises and safeguard your body from injuries.
If you need assistance or want to know more about injury exercises for prevention
and treatment, feel free to get in touch with our Accredited Physiotherapists and Exercise Physiologists at Healthstin by calling 1300 090 931 or clicking this link now.
