You’ve made it — you finally found your rhythm. You’re locked in on your workouts, the mirror shows progress, the scale is moving towards your goal, and you’re feeling stronger and more confident than ever. And then, you feel it: a strange stretch in your muscle, a twist in your ankle, a twinge in your lower back. An injury. Just like that, your routine grinds to a halt.
Injuries aren’t just frustrating; they derail your progress in the gym and pose real risks for your health. Knowing that, we’ve created a list of 6 common gym injuries and how to avoid them. Check it out.
6 common gym injuries and how to avoid them
1 – Lumbar strain
One of the most common injuries in the gym, lumbar strain or lower back strain, often comes from lifting too heavy, poor form in exercises like deadlifts or squats, or insufficient core stability.
How to avoid it: Keep your back neutral during lifts, engage your core, and avoid rounding your spine. Warm up with mobility work and don’t forget to strengthen your core.
2 – Shoulder impingement
Almost all of us felt it during an overhead press, a bench press, or even pull-ups. It’s a shoulder irritation that usually appears if you don’t do proper mobility or control work.
How to avoid it: Strengthen the rotator cuff and upper back muscles, maintain proper pressing form, and avoid excessive flaring of your elbows (abducting away from the body). Incorporating mobility drills for the shoulder joint helps to keep movement smooth and pain-free.
3 – Knee pain
Older injuries or repetitive stress during running, squats, or jumping exercises are usually the cause, especially if you’re increasing load or volume too quickly.
How to avoid it: Strengthen the muscles around your knees, especially the quads and glutes. Prioritise good squat form, keeping your knees tracking over toes, and wear supportive shoes. Gradually increase intensity to give your tendons time to adapt.
4 – Ankle sprains
Whether from running on a treadmill, box jumps, or unstable landings, ankle sprains can sideline you for weeks and stall your EVOlution.
How to avoid it: Work on balance and ankle mobility. Warm up your lower body properly, and focus on controlled landings during jumps. If possible, choose flat, stable shoes for lifting and plyometrics. Remember: at EVO, we welcome barefoot training.
5 – Elbow tendonitis
Overuse from heavy gripping in exercises like pull-ups, rows, or curls can lead to painful inflammation on your elbows, which can lead to tendonitis.
How to avoid it: Use proper lifting technique, avoid overloading grip-intensive moves too quickly, and mix up your grips to reduce repetitive strain. Plus, strengthening your forearms and stretching them after working out helps.
6 – Wrist strain
Push-ups, planks, and heavy pressing can stress the small joints and tendons in your wrists.
How to avoid it: Strengthen your forearms and grip, keep wrists aligned with your forearms during lifts, and use push-up handles or dumbbells if flat palms cause discomfort.
In conclusion
Most gym injuries are preventable with good technique, proper warm-ups, and gradual progression. Treat your warm-up and mobility work as seriously as you treat your lifts, because staying injury-free means you can keep showing up, make progress and avoid all the hassle injuries can bring to your daily life.
