Reducing and dealing with injuries

This past week I hurt my knee. I didn't hurt it working out. I banged it against a table and it swelled up and got red. After a day of that nonsense, I called the advice nurse who kind of freaked out on me and was worried about having cellulitis. No, cellulitis isn't cellulite, it's actually an infection of your connective tissue. It's a particular concern to use diabetics since infections and raise your blood sugar. Like computer and car problems, when I finally went to see the professional about it, the problem was fixing itself. This injury sidelined me this week. Which meant no working out. That's kind of scary considering I have to run 6.2 miles in two weeks. The plus side is that I am looking forward to running this afternoon and will take it easy (just a 3 mile run and 2 miles on the bike).

Aside from a bout of tedonitis in my foot, I've been remarkably injury free considering I run 17 miles a week. Here's some tips I have for staying injury free:

1. Do no do high impact aerobic activity two days in a row. Seriously that's the most important. In the past when I've gotten into working out, I work out too much, get injured and then stop working out for a month.

2. Make sure to stretch after exercising. Hold the stretches at least 20 seconds.

3. Youtube is your friend. You will have parts of your body that get sore and stiff. Mine is my lower back. I've found some great stretches on youtube and address my lower back. Do a youtube search on (body part) and stretch will yield a lot.

4. Hot baths are an even better friend.

5. When you a starting out, start slowly. Don't push yourself too hard. If you can't sing while you are working out, you're working out too hard.