Gym Safety Tips

If you’ve been good about keeping your resolution to go to the gym more often, cheers to you! We encourage you to keep up the good work as you keep up physical activity and maintain a healthy lifestyle. We also hope that you are keeping safe as you continue onward with your workout goals. Here are some safety tips you should remember in order to keep your body (including your feet) safe at the gym.

• Slippery surfaces: Check to see if gym floors are slippery. This could be due to wet floors that were just cleaned, or from someone who was just in the same spot while dripping sweat. It could also be from a smooth surface not providing enough traction for your shoes. One small slip could lead to an injury (like an ankle sprain) that keeps you from working out for a few days, or one that leaves you in the hospital!
• Test equipment: Whatever machine you are going to use, be sure to test it out with a lighter weight or resistance beforehand to make sure that it is working properly. You don’t want to go hard with a piece of equipment, only to find that it is bent or holding on by a thread.
• Use a spotter: There are many stories out there, in which a person working out alone ended up with a major injury or even death because they had nobody looking out for safety. If something happened to you, it could be hours before anyone discovers you are struggling or injured at the gym.
• Don’t go beyond what you can do, especially if you’re tired: Many gym injuries happen when you do a workout when you’re already tired. Your muscles are fatigued and your heart rate may not go up enough to properly circulate blood and fluids in your body. This could lead to cramping or weak muscles that give out on you. You may end up with a traumatic injury (like a fracture) if you drop some heavy weights on your feet!
• Use the right gym shoes: Some shoes are made specifically for a physical activity. Cross-trainers are probably best if you’ll be doing a little bit of everything. No matter what your workout of the day, make sure your shoes are supportive and not worn down.