Safety Tips When Exercising Outdoors

Fitness can happen anywhere. But on a nice Fall day, it’s really tempting to exercise outdoors. You’re probably just like me and many others who enjoy the cool, crisp air of the season. But you have to be aware that sometimes, accidents or injuries may happen. Whether you go for a hike, a run or a bike ride, they happen if you are not careful.

So here are some tips from Apogee Lifestyle that will help you stay out of trouble while enjoying your exercises outdoors.

Stretch It Out
As the cooler weather sets in, take the time to stretch and warm up cold muscles so strains are less likely. Stretches will also help improve flexibility in the muscle tissue and range of motion in your joints.

Massage Those Muscles
If you are regularly engaging in vigorous activity or preparing for a big sporting event such as a marathon, massage therapy can be a valuable tool. By working out trigger points, muscle tension and overall stiffness, your body can become stronger progressively in a safe, well-maintained way. (I usually don’t recommend a Swedish or deep tissue massage at this point; a sports massage that involves stretching, warming the muscles and range of motion exercises is best.) After an event, massage therapy can help rid your body of harmful toxins, such as lactic acid, that build up in muscle tissue. Specific massage techniques and strokes create better circulation throughout the blood, lymph and nervous system. Planning for a massage immediately after a big event will do wonders for your recovery. With moderate or light exercise, anytime after you exercise is fine.

Take Care of Yourself at Home
If you find yourself with sore muscles, I suggest taking hot baths, icing inflamed or swollen areas and resting overworked extremities. Never ignore severe pain or chronic problems. If you do not take care of your body, you can not expect it to function at its best! I also recommend staying well hydrated before, during and after an activity. Dehydration is just as common in cooler weather as it is in hot weather. Water helps support your digestion, nervous system, muscles and joints, as well as flushes your body of toxins.

Balance Your Body
My last suggestion for injury prevention for runners and other athletes is maintaining balance in your body. If you are only training your body in one activity, some muscles become stronger than others, which can eventually cause injury. Mixing up your routine will help you build a stronger body overall. The weaker muscles will get stronger and the overworked ones will have less strain and more protection. Pilates, yoga, martial arts, weight training, etc., are great ways to bring balance to your body.

Have fun and be safe!

Image by KennethMoyle.

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