When a person is working out nothing stops the momentum they have like an injury. Injuries will set back workout and weight loss plans, and may even change the quality of life that a person has after the injury. It is important that while you are working out you do everything you can to prevent injuries from occurring. Here are some common injuries that affect people when they are working out, and some ways to help prevent them.

Rotator Cuff. The rotator cuff is made out of four muscles. The purpose of the rotator cuff is to allow your shoulder to rotate in the socket. The majority of rotator cuff injuries occur when weight trainers are too focused on the chest and bench press. Remember if you are strengthening one side of your body it is important to strengthen the other. Try to find exercises that will give you the same amount of time rotating your arm the opposite way of the bench press.

Back Injuries. The Lower back injuries are very common for people that are weight lifting. Many exercises will place the back in a compromising position. It is important to not put too much strain on the lower back; the weight lifting techniques and form that you use when weightlifting will influence how much pressure you place on the lower back. If you start feeling pain in the lower back stop what you are doing. A person can cause serious injuries to their back in a short amount of time. To avoid injury start working out with less weight to really prefect your technique, and then when you increase the weight consider using a weight lifting belt.

Knee Injuries. Often many knee injuries and pain occurs with people who spend a large amount of their time doing cardio workouts. Running outside or on a treadmill can put strain on the knee every time that your feet come down. This is especially true for people who are overweight and just starting their cardio training. Having the right shoes will make a difference in the amount of pressure you put on your knees. When purchasing a shoe, find a shoe that will absorb the impact of running, or even consider buying an insole that will help to decrease the pressure of training.

Joint Injuries. When a person is training they normally put additional pressure on the joints of their body. It is important to help to maintain the joint stability. To help avoid joint injuries it is important to stretch before and after workouts. Stretching will help the body to recover faster, and it will help you to build up the muscle fibers in the joints. Diet is also very important for joint health. The body needs vitamins and minerals to maintain the joints. A standard diet can often not include the proper elements that your body requires when training. Take a good multivitamin everyday to ensure that your body has a ready supply of the vitamins it needs to function correctly. Also a person that is training needs to increase their omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are essential to your body’s health. Omega-3 fatty acids have also been found to help joint health in the body. Taking a good fish oil supplement will help you to have all the essential fatty acids your body needs.

When you are training it is important to think about your body’s safety. You should never do a workout that will place your body in a compromising position. It is better to do a safe workout than to try to get more isolation on a certain muscle group at the expense of putting too much strain on your body.