4 tips to help prevent spinal injury during exercise

Regular exercise is essential to maintaining good health. Certain sports, such as weightlifting, football, and rugby, carry a higher risk of spinal injury than others. However, there are steps you can take to help prevent this risk and maximize the health benefits of exercise.

Spinal cord injuries are one of the most common types of injuries. This type of injury varies in severity. In severe cases, people with spinal cord injuries will experience severe pain, even lifelong effects, according to the health website Healthline (USA).

Wearing a belt when squatting or deadlifting will help reduce the risk of spinal injury.

To reduce the risk of spinal injury during exercise, people need to note the following:

Strengthening core muscles

When playing sports that require strength, the core muscles play a very important role. Strong core muscles help support the function of the spine. If these muscle groups are weak, the pressure on the spine will increase, thereby increasing the risk of disc herniation or spinal fracture.

The muscle groups in the core are the abdominal muscles, hip muscles, and lower back muscles. Common exercises to strengthen the core muscles are planks, crunches, or squats.

Start properly

The first thing to do to reduce the risk of injury during exercise is to warm up properly. Warming up properly activates the joints and muscles of the body, improving flexibility and blood flow to the muscles. These warm-ups should also focus on important joints such as the hips, shoulders and wrists.

Do not exercise when tired

One of the main causes of injury, including spinal injury, during exercise is overtraining. When the body is overworked, the muscles will become tired and no longer be able to support the spine, making it susceptible to injury.

Wear appropriate protective equipment

Depending on the sport, we need the appropriate protective equipment, from helmets, neck braces to gym belts. Especially for gym goers, you should wear a belt when squatting or doing deadlift exercises. These protective equipment must fit properly, otherwise it will increase the risk of injury, according to Healthline.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/4-luu-y-giup-ngan-ton-thuong-cot-song-khi-tap-luyen-185241020182727941.htm