Tips for Starting a Summer Workout Routine

Contributed to by: Ambriale Davis

As the days get hotter and longer, you might feel the need to spend time outdoors and increase your level of physical activity. The National Health Interview Survey reported almost 9 million sports and recreation related injuries from 2011 to 2014¹. General exercise is the most reported activity leading to injury. Of the variety of injuries, the lower extremities are of the most common¹. Whether you’ve just started your fitness journey or you’re an exercise veteran, you should aim to minimize your risk of injury. When you are injured, even with a small injury, the surrounding areas become more vulnerable during the recovery period². This can make a recovery time of a few days turn into a few months. Harvard Medical School²provides a list of ten tips to prevent injuries:

1. Talk to your doctor before deciding on an exercise program.
2. Choose your workout carefully.
3. Learn the proper technique.
4. Get the right gear.
5. Start gradually.
6. Warm up.
7. Stay hydrated.
8. Cool down.
9. Vary your workouts.
10. Know when to stop.