Safety in Motion: The Value of warm-up exercises

Warm-ups help prevent strains and sprains

In the world of sports and in military training, research has repeatedly demonstrated that athletes perform better and injuries decrease when they complete moderate warm-up exercises shortly before their event.
 

How does this research apply to workplace injury prevention?

Five to 10 minutes of moderate warm-up exercise, done before starting physical activity, is a safe and effective way to reduce the likelihood and severity of soft tissue injuries.

Moderation is key when warming up. Any warm-up exercise, when done too many times or for too long a time period, can result in muscle fatigue that reduces the benefits of the exercise. Set aside a few minutes a day to help increase fitness and safety. 

More details

Warm-up exercises

• Increase blood flow
• Move through the range of motion of the work that will be completed
• Are low impact and not tiring  

Stretching exercises

• Put tension on specific muscles to increase flexibility
• Improve the range of motion of specific joints such as shoulders, spine, hips

Warm-up exercises are recommended if the following guidelines are followed:

• Warm up before doing any kind of stretching exercises.
• Avoid stretching immediately before lifting heavy items or doing other activities that require explosive muscle power.
• Avoid pain. It is normal and safe to feel tension increasing during a stretching exercise. But if you start to feel pain, back off the tension.
• Use slow, steady motions when stretching to avoid losing your balance.
• Avoid bouncing motions as they can result in muscle tears and stiffness.
• Don't stretch a recently injured muscle unless directed to do so by your doctor or physical therapist.
  
  

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