Exercising is a great way to boost your endorphins and stay healthy when it’s done in a safe manner. It’s important to make sure that you’re exercising correctly and following health and safety regulations carefully when using heavy machinery and weights.
Tips for Exercising Safely
- Get to know your body – Know what your body is capable of handling. Don’t push yourself too hard, if something doesn’t feel right or you start to struggle, stop and rest. Remember to start with smaller weights first and work your way up gradually when you feel it’s time to do so. The same goes for other high intensity exercises such as spin classes and using a treadmill.
- Stay hydrated – Hydration is key when exercising as you lose a lot of fluids through sweating. You’ll want to replenish these as soon as you can as around one and a half litres of fluid is lost per hour of exercise. Hydration also reduces the chance of muscle cramping after workouts.
- Pace out your workouts – If you’re experiencing pain, it’s probably time to rest and take some time out. Having rest days in between workouts gives your body chance to recover faster and reduces burnout.
- Check your machinery and gear – Check that everything you use is safe, from your running shoes to your weight machine and beyond. Something as simple as not tying your shoelaces properly or the tread on your trainers wearing down could cause an unwanted accident and put you out of the game for a while.
- Stay visible – Whether you’re working out at the gym or in the park, it’s good to be seen. Make sure you have a clear space around your station so that you won’t bump into other exercises or passers by and be sure to wear something bright or reflective if out at night so that drivers and other walkers can see you.
Common Accidents When Exercising
The main cause of injury whilst exercising are treadmill activities, based on the results of a recent study. These types of exercises were responsible for a whopping one in three gym related injuries, so it’s important to check over the equipment carefully before using it and report any equipment that you think might be unsafe.
Accidents can also take place at home, such as in the middle of online classes during lockdown depending on the activity. If you’re using items like skipping ropes or pull up bars to complete your session, these items come with risk and could lead to head injuries or visual damage if something hits you in the eye.
To stay safe while exercising make sure that you have plenty of space to work out, away from anyone or anything else that might come into the area and become a liability. Make sure pull up bars and other exercise items are correctly fitted and supported, with a safety mat below them in case they come loose, and you fall backwards. Treadmills and exercise machines that use motorised movement should have an emergency stop button and safety clip which should be tested to ensure they work regularly.
What to Do if You Do Get Injured
Unfortunately, accidents do still happen from time to time. They are unpredictable but it’s good to always be prepared in case they happen and it’s important to know what to do when you are faced with an injury.
If you’re in a gym environment or a busy park with lots of dog walkers, call somebody over to lend a helping hand. That way, you can be moved to safety if there are any other risks posed to you and be sat on a bench to check over your injuries. At the gym, there should be a trained first aider on site or first aid box that someone will be able to bring over for you.
If it’s too painful to move or you think you’ve broken a bone and have access to your phone, call for help. If it’s an emergency and you need urgent care, ring 999.
If you do become injured and it wasn’t your fault, you can decide to make a claim if you believe the gym or equipment manufacturers are liable. Depending on their severity, accidents can put you out of work for a while and you may need help with paying bills or covering medical costs.
You can also claim if you are treated for an injury and something goes wrong with your medical care.
This type of compensation will go a long way to helping you recover, taking away any stress of being out of work and giving you time to rest and get back to good health.