For many of us January means it's time to hit the gym hard, but Cindy Ross of Bodies by Cindy says our bodies can also take a hit.
"Clients are coming in, maybe I haven't seen them in a few months, and they're going full force and they're getting overuse injuries," she says.
We headed in to see Dr. Cesar Roca at Alabama Orthopedic Clinic. He's used to seeing overuse injuries like tendonitis and torn rotator cuffs.
"They're going at it too quickly, and trying to do things they're not capable of," he says of some of his patients. "They're deconditioned. So, quickly into their exercise program, they're getting hurt. They get frustrated."
Dr. Roca says you have to start somewhere -- and the safest place to start is with light, comfortable workouts.
"Start slowly. You can't run a marathon without training right. Instead of just running three miles the first day you're out, start walking slowly, start warming up."
Once you've warmed up and eased into a routine -- pay attention to your body's signals.
"There’s a difference between being tough and enduring normal muscle aches and pains, and working with injury. If you're injured and you're trying to plow through it, you're just hurting yourself worse."
"That sharp pain is definitely your body's way of saying, seek medical help," Cindy says.
If you are injured, you don't have to get off the workout wagon completely. Focus on muscle groups away from the injured area -- and ask your doctor how you can still be active.
