Stretch the hamstrings and lower back muscles by placing one foot on a low bench or chair, with both legs slightly bent so as not to stress the knee joints and, keeping your back straight, gently reach forward with your arms.Adding a twisting movement to the toe-touch can cause damage to the joints.Īlternative stretches for the abdominal muscles or the lower back muscles and hamstrings include: Bending down to touch the toes, with straight legs, can overstretch the lower back muscles and hamstrings, and stress the vertebrae, discs and muscles of the lower back and hamstrings. Standing toe-touchesAvoid standing toe-touches altogether. once the muscle feels comfortable, gently increasing the stretch and then holding again.

holding the stretch for 10 to 20 seconds.

concentrating on slow, sustained stretches.

Bouncing is counterproductive as it can cause small tears to the muscle tissue, which are experienced as muscle soreness or tenderness. Sudden overstretching stimulates the stretch reflex causing the muscles to contract even tighter in an attempt to prevent injury. When deciding if any exercise is safe, you need to consider the technique and the load, as well as your personal circumstances, such as any previous injuries and your fitness level.īouncing while stretchingIt is mistakenly believed that 'bouncing' as you stretch (ballistic stretching) helps muscles to stretch further.

a very rapid or irregular heartbeat during exercise.Įxercises that could be harmfulSome exercises that involve fast or repetitive twisting, or long-lasting or held movements are best avoided because they can cause damage to bones and muscles.

chest pain or other pain that could indicate a heart attack, including pain in the neck and jaw, pain travelling down the arm or pain between the shoulder blades.

When to stop exercising immediatelyStop exercising and seek medical help if you experience symptoms such as:

Remember that injuries need rest – trying to ‘work through’ the pain will cause more damage to soft muscle tissue and delay healing.

Make sure you have at least one recovery day, preferably two, every week.

Cross-train with other sports and exercises to reduce the risk of over training.

Don’t ignore your body’s signals of fatigue, discomfort and pain.

Avoid or modify any exercise that causes you pain or discomfort.

Be aware that increasing the speed of any exercise can increase the risk of injury.

It is essential that all pregnant women discuss their exercise plans with their doctor, as each pregnancy is different.

There are many changes during pregnancy, such as changes in body shape and size, that pose potential risk of increased injury.

If you have a pre-existing injury or medical condition, consult a sports medicine doctor, exercise physiologist or physiotherapist.

Be guided by a qualified fitness instructor.

When deciding if any exercise is safe, you need to consider the technique used as well as your individual condition, such as injury history and fitness level.

Ensure you read through pre-exercise self-screening tool External Link before you embark on a physical activity or exercise program. This is a filter or ‘safety net’ to help decide if the potential benefits of exercise outweigh the risks for you.

Use pre-exercise screening to identify whether you are at a higher risk of experiencing a health problem during physical activity.

Guidelines for exercise safetySome guidelines for general exercise safety include: You can reduce your risk of exercise injury by:Įxercise safety adviceYou can obtain information and advice about exercise safety from your doctor, a sports medicine doctor, physiotherapist or an exercise physiologist – or see a sporting association about correct sporting technique and equipment.

While there is a risk of injury with any type of physical activity, the benefits of staying active far outweigh the risks. Regular physical activity is vital for good physical, social and emotional health.

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