Ease, don’t race, back into exercise this season

Now that the weather’s cooling off, you’re all set to take an aggressive approach to exercising, right?

Don’t. Doing so could cause you problems.

“When you take people who haven’t normally been active and put them back into sports, that’s when you get injuries,” said Dr. Amon Ferry, chief of Integrated Medical Services’ orthopedic surgery division in Phoenix.

During the summer, many of us cut back on workouts, running and sports because of the heat. We ramp up our exercise routines once temperatures drop.

“We’re going from couch to gym too quickly,” said Ferry, whose patients include professional and student athletes.

To avoid developing injuries such as strains or sprains, or even worse, tendinitis, he recommends:

» Easing into your workout. Give your body a chance to get used to exercising again.

» Cross-training. “Crosstraining in and of itself can prevent injuries,” Ferry said. This is because you are using different muscles for each routine. Doing the same exercise every day can cause repetitive injuries.

» Pre-habbing: Doing preventive rehabilitation. Train your body to correctly do the movements for the sport or exercise you’re going to do. Learn to jump correctly, twist correctly, run correctly. Work with a trainer or coach to develop the skills and learn the mechanics of the sport you are doing.

» Warming up. Always warm up before exercising, Ferry said. That’s because cold muscles and quick movements can cause problems. “If you’re going for a run, do a few jumping jacks or even a fast walk,” he said.

Warming up doesn’t necessarily mean stretching, he said. If you’ve always stretched before exercising, continue doing so. “If you haven’t, don’t start,” because doing so can cause injuries, he said.

» Icing. Ferry said that a typical cool down after exercise does not necessarily prevent injuries. Instead, he recommends applying ice to de- crease swelling and inflammation after a workout.

» Wearing appropriate clothing, footwear and gear. For example, if you are going hiking, wear hard-sole shoes that have good arch support. Take plenty of water and a longsleeved shirt in case of a weather change.

» Listening to your body. If you feel a short stabbing pain, stop exercising until you no longer hurt. When you start exercising again, do 50 percent of what you previously did, he said.

Each week increase your routine by 10 percent.

“If something starts to hurt, drop back to what you did the week before,” he said. “You generally can get back to where you were before in six to eight weeks.”