Many people use some fitness equipment
Such as dumbbells, elastic bands, kettlebells, etc.
Follow the video to exercise at home
I wanted to keep fit
But I developed rotator cuff injury and lumbar spine discomfort
It can even cause damage to joints and meniscus
Such injuries are not uncommon in outpatient clinics
Most of the problem is not that the equipment itself hurts people.
It’s about the wrong training time and wrong movement methods.
We dismantle 6 home appliances one by one
Who is not suitable for training?
How to exercise relatively safely?
What signals should you stop practicing immediately?
01
6 Misunderstandings in Using Home Gadgets You Must Avoid
1. Dumbbells: Don’t blindly pursue heavy weights
Dumbbells are a very common piece of equipment at home. Many people think that the heavier the dumbbells are, the better the feeling and the better the effect will be during training. Many people directly choose 10 kilograms or even heavier ones.
Experts have made comparisons: for the same movement, when using 10 kilograms, the upper trapezius muscles are compensated, and the movement is obviously deformed; when using 2 kilograms, the movements are standard, and the target muscles can exert force accurately.
Generally speaking, women are recommended to choose dumbbells of 2 to 5 kilograms, and men are recommended to choose dumbbells of 5 to 10 kilograms. Specific adjustments need to be made based on your own muscle strength, giving priority to ensuring the quality of movements, and then choosing an appropriate weight.
You must stop if you feel this kind of pain: pain on the anterolateral side of the shoulder, especially tingling when you raise your hand to 60° to 120°. People often say that "the arm feels like it has been stabbed when it is raised halfway". This is called a "pain arc" in medicine, and is a typical manifestation of subacromial impact. Don’t have the idea that “it will get over if you persist a little longer”. When this happens, you should stop immediately. Do not judge or blindly handle it on your own. It is recommended to go to a sports medicine clinic in time.
2. Kettlebell: The threshold is high, beware of compensatory damage to the waist
Kettlebells are a type of equipment with a high technical threshold among household gadgets.
Correct practice relies on "hip thrusting", using the gluteus maximus to exert force while maintaining core stability. However, for many people who sit for a long time, the gluteus maximus muscles have been in a "dormant" state for a long time, and the hip joint flexibility is insufficient. The body will automatically use the lumbar spine to compensate, which will lead to lumbar facet joint disorder, interspinous ligament damage, and greatly increase the load on the intervertebral disc.
You must stop if this feeling occurs: there is no feeling in the buttocks during the swing of the kettlebell, but there is obvious soreness and pain in the waist. This is not "practice to the point", but the waist is exerting force instead of the hips, so you should stop practicing immediately.
Special reminder: For people with a history of lumbar disc herniation, the potential risks of using kettlebells far outweigh the benefits, so it is recommended to choose carefully.
3. Elastic band: highly practical, but don’t ignore the risk of aging
Elastic bands are a type of home training equipment recommended by experts in the program.
Its resistance direction can be flexibly adjusted, its resistance curve is gentle, it can gradually increase the load, and the impact on joints is relatively small, which helps to reduce the probability of sports injuries. People who sit for a long time and suffer from hip collapse, stiff shoulders and necks, and frequent sprained feet may choose this product as appropriate.
There are 2 security details that experts specifically emphasize:
①The elastic band will age. After long-term use, micro-cracks will appear on the surface. Once broken, the strength of the rebound cannot be underestimated. This kind of accident is not an isolated case. Experts mentioned that there have been cases in the emergency department where elastic bands broke and bounced into the eyes, causing corneal abrasions. Therefore, if the elastic has burrs or small tears, replace it with a new one immediately and do not make do with it.
②The fixed point must be firm. Do not hang the elastic band on unstable objects such as the back of the chair. Once the chair tips over, the damage caused by the fall may be more serious. Before fixing, be sure to check whether the fixing point is stable.
4. Elastic ring: can assist knee protection, wrong movements can easily damage joints
The main function of the elastic ring is to activate the gluteus medius muscle, which helps to rebuild the correct alignment of the knee joint.
Its correct exercises are horizontal crab walk and clam opening and closing. But there is a common misunderstanding: some people wear elastic rings to do squats, and the squat angle is too large. When the squat angle exceeds 90°, the pressure on the patella will increase sharply, which can easily cause cartilage wear and tear of the posterior corner of the meniscus.
You must stop if you feel this way: after doing elastic circle training, if there is swelling in the front of the knee, or the knee is swollen, and there is a feeling of swelling when bending, it means that the training stimulation has exceeded the endurance of the cartilage, and the training range and number of sets can be appropriately reduced. If swelling persists after reducing the dosage, it is recommended to go to the hospital for an axial patellar radiograph or knee MRI to evaluate the status of the patellar joint, and do not continue training forcefully.
5. Yoga ball: It can assist in core training, but there are clear taboos for its use.
The core feature of the yoga ball is "instability". When a person sits or leans on the ball to perform movements, in order to maintain balance, the body can encourage deep stabilizing muscles such as the multifidus and transversus abdominis to participate in the work.
It can be used as an exercise tool for people who sit for a long time and have weak waist and abdominal strength. However, some people are not suitable for practice: patients in the acute stage of lumbar disc herniation, or patients with low back pain accompanied by radiating pain in the legs, do not use yoga balls. People with a history of lumbar disc herniation are advised to consult a doctor before using a yoga ball for training. Elderly people with osteoporosis are not recommended to do exercises with their feet off the ground on a yoga ball.
6. Balance plate: practice ankle stability and prevent falls as a priority
The balance plate is mainly used to train the proprioception of the ankle joint, which can help improve the condition of sprained feet. When practicing, you can stand on both feet first, and then transition to standing on one foot after getting used to it. After you become proficient in practicing with your eyes open, advance to practicing with your eyes closed. The balance plate should not be over-inflated, leaving about 30% deformation space, and should be slightly dented after stepping on it. If it is over-inflated and the surface is too hard, it will be the same as standing on flat ground and will not achieve the training effect.
Do not practice in these situations: Do not use it when the ankle joint is in the stage of acute sprain, redness, swelling, heat and pain. You should wait until the swelling has completely subsided and the joint activity has returned to normal before practicing. Elderly people with osteoporosis are not recommended to do standing exercises to avoid falls and fractures.
02
Keep in mind the 3 safety guidelines for home equipment training
1. Avoid training the same muscle group two days in a row
The training frequency of 3 to 4 times a week is for reference only. It is not recommended to exercise the same muscle for two consecutive days. The effective training time for home equipment can be controlled to 20 to 35 minutes, and the 5 to 8 minutes of warm-up are not included in the training time. If any discomfort such as joint pain or abnormal snapping occurs during training, training must be stopped immediately.
2. Be sure to complete the warm-up and stretching process in a standardized manner
Before formal training, set aside 5 to 10 minutes for dynamic warm-up. After the body sweats slightly, the muscle temperature rises, and the joint synovial fluid is fully secreted, equipment training can be carried out to reduce the risk of sports injuries. After training, perform static stretching on the training area for 15 to 30 seconds, combined with deep breathing and relaxation, to help muscle recovery and relieve fatigue.
3. Accurately distinguish between normal muscle soreness and sports injury pain
If there is no immediate discomfort after training, large-scale, symmetrical muscle soreness and tightness will appear on the 2nd to 3rd day. The discomfort will be relieved after physical activity, and will subside on its own in 3 to 5 days. This is a normal muscle repair reaction.
If sharp pain, tingling, or burning sensation occurs during training or immediately after training, if there are fixed pain points when pressing, the pain worsens after activity, does not improve after a few days of rest, or is even accompanied by local redness, swelling and heat, it is an abnormal injury signal and all training needs to be stopped immediately.
If you cannot identify the type of physical discomfort on your own, do not blindly insist on training or deal with it on your own. It is recommended to consult a professional doctor in time and go to a sports medicine clinic to evaluate the situation.
03
Special population training: don’t ignore these precautions
1. Postpartum women
It is necessary to wait until 6 weeks after normal delivery and 3 months after cesarean section to confirm that the body has recovered well after a reexamination, and then you can carry out strength training under the guidance of a doctor or professional. Do not blindly do abdominal crunches.
2. Middle-aged and elderly people
It is recommended to give priority to light weight equipment, avoid violent twisting and explosive movements, and it is not recommended to practice to physical exhaustion.
3.Office workers
People who have long-term tension in their shoulders, neck, lower back, must fully warm up before training, and do not forcefully train with pain.
Warm reminder:
The training methods, weights, and duration mentioned in this article are from expert programs and are for reference only. There are individual differences in physical conditions of each person, and the relevant content may not be completely suitable for one's own situation.
Once the signs of discomfort mentioned in the article appear during exercise, do not judge on your own or deal with it blindly. It is recommended to go to a sports medicine clinic or orthopedics clinic in time and submit it to a professional doctor for evaluation and examination.
Action Guide for Safe Use of Home Devices
1. Dumbbells: Don’t blindly choose heavy weights, give priority to standard movements. If you feel pain when you raise your hand between 60° and 120°, stop practicing immediately.
2. Kettlebell: rely on the gluteus maximus to press the hip to generate force. Soreness in the waist is a sign of compensatory injury. People with a history of lumbar protrusion should practice with caution.
3. Elastic band: Check for cracks and burrs, replace it in time when it ages, and the fixed points must be firm.
4. Elastic ring: used to activate the gluteus medius muscle and protect the knee joint. Do not wear it when doing squats exceeding 90°.
5. Yoga ball: Do not use it if the acute stage of lumbar disc herniation is accompanied by radiating pain or numbness in the legs. If you have a history of lumbar disc herniation, consult your doctor first. Elderly people with osteoporosis do not lift their feet off the ground.
6. Balance plate: Keep the space for inflatable deformation. It is prohibited during the period of redness and swelling due to sprains. Elderly people should be careful when standing on one foot. (CCTV Life Circle)
