Fit & proper: The right way to exercise

A colleague, who is a qualified sports physiotherapist, decided to join a gym with the intention to lose weight. After a few sessions, she called me up in great pain. She could barely walk for three days —apparently, as a result of some of the exercises she had done. Curiously though, despite being a physiotherapist and realising that some of the exercises she had been asked to do could be damaging, she went ahead as instructed. 

Her case is not an isolated one, though. Often, against our better judgement, we approach exercising in a blinkered manner — without enough research or expert consultation. 

Lack of awareness, preparation and no consistent monitoring is an alarming sign for skeletal health. Exercise plans unsuited to one’s body type and condition can lead to not just immediate injury, but also long-term impact on bone and muscle health. 

‘One shoe doesn’t fit all’ and ‘Go at your own pace’ are not just common words of wisdom, but advice gym enthusiasts should pay heed to, especially with increasing cases of early onset of muscle and bone deterioration. 

Some of the most common mistakes we have observed among gym enthusiasts are:

Trying to do ‘too much too soon’: There is generally higher enthusiasm when one joins a gym to achieve a short-term goal. We often push our body too hard and try to rush through an exercise plan, ending up with injuries.

This is also applicable when we explore newer exercise forms like Zumba. So we need to follow the same rule — gradual progress.    

Exercising without assessment: People do not go through proper assessment of what their body needs and how their exercise schedule should be customised. Also, once they have begun, they forget to constantly monitor their schedule according to their body’s requirements. This is often observed in ‘group’ exercise classes where people of all ages and body shapes are clubbed together. 

Not recognising your ‘manufacturing defects’: People often harbour some minor skeletal aberrations or what we can call ‘manufacturing defects’. As soon as they hit the gym, these defects start showing up. For example, most women show ‘maltracking of patella (knee cap)’ and become susceptible to anterior knee pain on certain gym exercises.

Believing in the myth of ‘no pain no gain’: Pain caused by exercise strain should ideally, disappear after three to four days of rest. If it persists, it needs attention.  Any pain arising out of sudden or acute swelling, a popping sound by a bone or the feeling of a bone popping out, needs immediate attention.

Rules to remember when you hit the gym:

• Chalk out a detailed exercise and diet plan based on your body’s needs. Don’t forget to monitor and update it on a daily basis

• Wearing proper shoes at the gym and protect vulnerable joints with muscle caps

• Compete only with yourself — go at your own pace and set your own targets

• Stop if it hurts. If the pain does not settle in 2-4 days, seek medical opinion

• If you already have a skeletal complaint, discuss with your medical advisor and modify the exercise

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Next: How working women who are expecting a baby can stay healthy and fit

J Maheshwari is the Director and head of knee & shoulder unit, Max Smart Super Speciality Hospital, Saket