Common Weight Lifting Injuries And How To Avoid Them

Weight lifting injuries do not have to occur if you plan to avoid them. Some injuries are unavoidable and everyone gets some sort of sprain or strains and some point during their training.

weight lifting injuries

To build a great body you must constantly try to push beyond your physical limits. But there is always a chance that you will exceed the ability of your physical structure and this can result in injury.

Some injuries are so slight and so common that we barely even notice them. Others can be more serious and even life threatening. It is therefore important to understand the types of injuries that might occur and how to avoid them.

Common Types Of Weight Lifting Injuries

Spasms and Cramps
Muscle spasm is a sign of strain. It is a sudden, often violent contraction of muscle, which is a protective reflex that in a sense is guarding that area against further motion to avoid further injury and aid recovery.

Cramps can last for an extended period of time and can cause pain and discomfort in the area. Muscle cramps are often a result of over training and fatigue and is one of those weight lifting injuries which can be avoided with rest and recuperation.

Tendinitis
This is an inflammatory condition which lines a tendon sheatrh and surrounds the tendon. In the early stages, treatment is the same as for muscle strains e.g. just rest will help you make a speedy recovery. If in severe cases then a steroid injection from a doctor may be required.

Pain
Pain when your training is a warning sign that tells you an area has been injured. By letting the pain be your guide, you can prevent further weight lifting injuries from occurring.

Firstly do not ignore it. The saying 'no pain no gain' is not strictly true and you should be able to distinguish between something with is slightly uncomfortable and something which is actually painful.

As soon as you feel pain you should stop what you are doing and rest for a few minutes if the pain continues then you may have done some muscle damage.

Preventing Weight Lifting Injuries

Muscles that are tight, tired and sore are more vulnerable to injury. You should think about this if the muscles you are working are still sore from the previous workout.

You can prevent injuries by warming up and stretching your muscles prior to heavy lifting. You can do this through a series of stretching exercises and light resistance work.

Treatment of Sprains

In cases of mild sprains, where only a few fibres of a ligament have been torn, then there may be little bleeding and swelling to the muscle and only slight loss of joint function. Here treatment depends on the degree of this type of weight lifting injuries.

Treatment may include one or more of the following:

Rest
Limitation of the aggravating activities / exercises
Elevation of the injured area
Compression dressing
Ice packs
Splinting

On top of this you should avoid any movements that cause any discomfort to the injured area. A sprain can take a few days, weeks or even months to repair and it is important that you do not train that specific area until you have fully recovered.

How Muscle Soreness Occurs

If you have had a similar experience than I applaud your workout intensity. If you have NOT had this experience than I have to question your workout intensity!

There are three main theories that result in muscle soreness.

Most muscle soreness occurs immediately following an activity and than has a delayed onset effect. Immediate muscle soreness is due to a buildup of metabolic by-products such as lactic acid and a lack of sufficient oxygen (ischemia).

Delayed onset muscle soreness (D.O.M.S.), which begins 24-72 hours after an activity, is not yet determined.

The advice in this article is not intended to replace any medical opinions and the advice of a doctor. If you are worried about weight lifting injuries you should seek medical advice and if you have an injury then seek attention from a qualified doctor.

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