Lifting weights can be a great way to get in shape and improve your overall strength and flexibility. Although a weight lifting regimen is an important part of any fitness routine, it’s also easy to get injured if you aren’t following proper guidelines. At Resurgens Spine Center, we encourage people to pursue their fitness goals without unnecessarily exposing themselves to injuries. Here are a few examples of neck and back injuries associated with weight lifting and how to prevent them:
Muscle Tears
Muscle tears occur when a muscle is pushed beyond its breaking point. When a muscle tears, it will heal and form scar tissue, which can shorten the muscle and cause a number of issues like pain and limited mobility.
Muscle Imbalances
Muscle imbalances can show up when opposing muscle groups grow out of proportion to one another. In the neck and back, this can pull vertebrae and other muscles out of alignment, creating pain and discomfort.
Disc Injuries
Disc injuries can be a result of sudden trauma or they can happen slowly over a period of time. There are many types of disc issues but they can all be extremely painful and will most definitely put an end to your weight lifting career.
Ligament Tears
Ligament tears are common among athletes and result when a tissue connecting two nearby bones together is torn by an abnormal force.
Weight Lifting Injury Prevention
While all these injuries can happen to a weight lifter, they can be prevented. Any time you’re doing resistance training, it’s important to utilize proper form and stick to a prescribed routine that will build all the muscle groups evenly. A trainer can help you put together a routine that will build strength without risking injuries. It’s also good to be mindful of the weight you’re lifting. Lifting weights that are too heavy for you is a good way to hurt yourself, so try starting small and build your way up to the larger weights.
We hope this information and tips on weight lifting are helpful as you move forward with your fitness goals. If you experience neck or back pain from weight lifting, the physicians at Resurgens Spine Center are here to help. Call us or schedule an appointment online today. Our physicians and spine therapists will help get you back to the gym!