Sport and exercise bring multiple benefits, but everyone who lives an active lifestyle has inevitably experienced an injury or two at some point in their lives.
Whether it’s a pulled muscle, a sprained ankle or a dislocated shoulder, high-impact activities can sometimes take their toll on our bodies.
Thankfully, there are many simple things that we can do to make exercise less stressful on our joints and muscles, and ultimately suffer less injuries, aches and pains.
Below, six of the UAE’s leading health and fitness experts share their top tips for safe and injury-free exercising.
Add variety to your workouts
Dr Tamara Ghazi, medical director and doctor of chiropractic at DISC (Diversified Integrated Sports Clinic) in Dubai and Abu Dhabi recommends mixing up your fitness routine. She explains that doing the same thing every day can put repeat pressure on the same exact joints.
“Change your movements regularly. If you like to run, try yoga. If you enjoy Pilates, try strength training. There is so much to choose from that will keep different muscles activated, and the probability of injuries quite low.”
Manage stress
Keith O’Malley-Farrell, founder of Dubai’s The Physical Training Company, has a background working as a pitch-side physiotherapist in London for footballers and rehabbing soldiers for the British Military.
He explains that stress can hurt your ability to heal, and learning to manage it is key to maintaining a healthy body while playing sport.
“We work under a lot of psychological stress: finance, relationships, jobs. As a result, our sensitivity to physical stress, like pain, increases. This can be a major factor of people getting stuck in a chronic pain cycle. Add in the likely reduction of exercise as a result, and the circle continues. To manage stress, try meditation or yoga. There are even online apps that will walk you through a guided two-minute breathing session.”
Move throughout the day
Physiotherapist Amy Gilbert is the founder of Perfect Balance Rehabilitation Centre on Reem Island, Abu Dhabi.
She says that simple regular movement throughout the day can help prevent any aches and pains from developing.
“I recommend that office or desk workers get up every 20 to 30 minutes, even if it involves just standing up and sitting down on the spot, walking to confer with a colleague instead of emailing, or moving around while on the phone.
“These simple adjustments can help relieve many injuries, including back and neck pain, and repetitive strain injuries. Movement also reduces the production of cortisol (the stress hormone), and improves the response of your immune system.”
Take rest days
Dr Hasan Baydoun, chief of Orthopedics and Sports Medicine at Healthpoint hospital in Abu Dhabi, has worked with multiple US major league sports teams, including the six-time Super Bowl winning New England Patriots, iconic baseball team the Boston Red Sox and the hockey franchise the Boston Bruins.
He emphasizes that both amateur and professional athletes need to take rest days.
“I tell all my patients to obey the rest days and not to work the same parts of the body for two days in a row. Doing too much of one particular sport is one of the biggest causes of knee or shoulder injuries; like if a runner completes a marathon and then straight away starts training for their next race. People need to realize that it’s okay to take a couple of weeks off and slow down. To enjoy casual jogs without recording every single metric.”
Lift weights
It is widely accepted that weight training strengthens your tendons and ligaments and reduces the likelihood of injury. It also increases performance and efficiency.
Josh Davies, head of strength and Conditioning at Wellfit, the multi-sport fitness center in Dubai’s Jumeirah Village Circle, runs weight-lifting classes for kids, as well as adults.
“Research shows there’s no better prerequisite for injury prevention than being strong. The stronger we are the more resilient we are to injuries. This is fundamental for children, especially if they are partaking in things like contact sports.
“This idea that kids shouldn’t lift weights because it stunts their growth is just not true. There’s no evidence to prove this. As long as they can follow instructions and move well, children of all ages can lift weights. It helps improve limb control and their brain-muscle connection. Obviously, a child lifting weights looks very different to an adult lifting weights. I think some people think we put big big barbells on their backs, but that’s not how it is. We do moves with small kettlebells and teach them the foundations of strength and conditioning.”
Warm up
As the UAE’s national jiu-jitsu team’s physiotherapist, Hiten Maisuria is an expert in looking after athletes and getting them ready for competition.
He explains that taking the time to do a good warm-up before doing any kind of sport is essential.
“A lot of injuries in jiu-jitsu are often because the fighters don’t really warm-up in the right way. Rushing through a warm-up can have serious consequences. A good warm-up can be one that gets all your main muscle-groups moving, mobilizes your joints and incorporates dynamic stretching exercises.”