Have you started this new year with good intentions to exercise? Way to go! But an accident is of course in a small corner, especially if you have started exercising too hard, chances are you have suffered an injury. Below you can read how these injuries occur, what to look out for and how physiotherapy can support them.
Why injuries occur after starting too fanatically
The Thuisarts website states that sports injuries often occur when a person exercises too quickly, too intensely or too often without giving the body enough time to recover. Especially after a period of little exercise, a sudden increase in training can cause overuse of muscles, tendons and joints. If you continue to train despite pain, symptoms can worsen and persist for longer. By taking your body's signals seriously and adjusting your training in time, you increase your chances of recovery and prevent long-term injuries.
Common injuries from starting too soon
Have you also started exercising too hard? Injuries can manifest themselves in different ways. It often starts with mild pain or stiffness that does not completely disappear.
Injuries that are common are:
- Overuse of muscles and tendons, such as tendinitis in shoulder or knee
- Shin splints, pain along the shin due to building up running too fast
- Muscle strains or muscle tears due to insufficient warm-up or recovery
- Back pain due to a sudden increase in intensity or incorrect technique
Signs that indicate overuse include persistent pain, reduced strength, stiffness when standing up or pain during daily movements. If you ignore these signs and keep training, a temporary complaint can turn into a long-term injury.
What can you do if you started exercising too hard?
When you notice that your body is struggling, it is important to make timely adjustments. Completely stopping exercise is often not necessary, but adjusting is. These steps will support your recovery:
- Temporarily reduce the intensity or quantity of your workouts
- Alternate taxing sports with lighter forms of exercise
- Schedule sufficient rest days
- Pay attention to warming up and cooling down
- Take pain signals seriously and do not force movements
By responding properly when your body experiences symptoms, you give room for recovery and prevent long-term symptoms. So while rest is important, sitting completely still does not usually help recovery. Movement stimulates circulation and supports recovery. Therefore, choose less strenuous activities such as walking, cycling or swimming.
Physiotherapy helps with injuries caused by overly fanatical exercise
Physiotherapy plays an important role when you have developed symptoms due to starting sports too soon. The physiotherapist examines where the overuse comes from and looks at your posture, movement pattern, muscle strength and training structure. On this basis, a personal treatment plan is drawn up. You will also receive advice on recovery, training structure and recognising signs of overload. This way, you not only work on your current recovery, but also on preventing new injuries.
Responsible return to sports
Recovering from an injury does not mean that your good intentions have failed. With the right guidance, you can resume your sporting activities step by step. By paying attention to recovery moments, variation in training and a realistic build-up, you increase the chances of lasting results. This way, your sporting goals remain achievable and healthy.
Moving pain-free again with the right guidance
Have you started exercising too hard because of your good intentions and are now experiencing symptoms or an injury? Then don't wait too long. Our physiotherapists will be happy to help you with personal advice and targeted guidance. Take contact with us at 085-5000333 or mail to info@friskfysio.nl for an appointment. Together, we will make sure you keep moving responsibly and continue your good intentions in a healthy way.
