There is a lot of advice out there when it comes to exercise and fitness, and while some of it is good, there is plenty of bad advice out there as well. We want you to be able to enjoy your exercise routine and reduce your risk of injury, so we want to help set the record straight when it comes to working out. In today’s blog, we take a look at five myths about exercise so that you can become stronger and remain injury free.
Common Exercise Misconceptions
Here’s a look at some common exercise misconceptions that you should know so that you don’t unknowingly increase your risk of an injury.
- More Is Always Better – More isn’t always better when it comes to working out. Pushing yourself too hard or for too long is a recipe for an overstress injury. If you are hoping to increase your workout duration or intensity, gradually increase your program and really take stock of your body as you push it harder. Also be sure to give your body enough time to recover from the rigors of physical activity.
- No Pain, No Gain – While this may be a popular mantra among high school football teams, it’s not great advice. During exercise, you want to push your body outside of its comfort zone, but you don’t want to push to the point that things become painful. Pain is typically a sign of a soft tissue strain or a more serious injury. We want you to feel some soreness the day after a workout, but pain is a sign of a problem. Strive for exercise that makes you uncomfortable, but not in pain afterwards.
- Morning Workouts Are Best – Some people claim that a morning workout will jumpstart your metabolism and help you be healthier throughout the day, whereas others claim that an evening workout can help tire you out and make it easier for you to fall asleep and stay asleep. The fact of the matter is it really doesn’t matter when you work out as long as you make time to work out. Find a time in your day that works best for you and allows you to develop a consistent schedule.
- Exercise Can Erase A Bad Diet – Don’t assume that you can eat whatever you want because you worked out this morning. Exercise can’t erase a poor diet, and you want to ensure that you are getting the right kind of nutrients from your diet to fuel your exercise and recovery. Exercise can certainly help to burn some calories, but it’s not designed to burn off a bunch of bad food choices. For best results with exercise and weight management, exercise and diet need to work in unison, not in opposition.
- You’re On Your Own – At the end of the day, you are the one lifting the weights or performing the exercises, but that doesn’t mean that you need to develop and change your workout routines on your own. You have a number of allies who can help develop your form or improve specific areas of your body after an injury or surgery. Our team of physical therapists would love to work with you to help you become the strongest and most physically capable version of yourself! Let us help improve your form, develop a half marathon training program or get you ready for your upcoming sports season. You don’t have to exercise and train all by yourself.
If you want help developing an exercise routine, or you’re simply looking to become stronger following a sports injury or surgical procedure, let the team at OrthoRehab Specialists help you. For more information, or for help with a different PT-related issue, give our team a call today at (612) 339-2041.