11. Prevention: Warm Up
It’s a good idea, whether you’re going to play a hot game of pickup basketball or a quiet round of golf. You loosen up muscles, ligaments, tendons, and joints, and that makes them harder to injure. Walk, run in place, or do some jumping jacks. All it takes is 5-10 minutes, a small price to pay to avoid hurting yourself.
12. Prevention: Start Slow
You may want to jump into your new running shoes and see how fast and far you can go, even if you’ve never run before. That may feel like the right spirit, but it’s the wrong idea. When you start a new activity, give your body time to get used to it. Then, over time, you can add to the speed, distance, weight, or intensity. Listen to your body at each step of the way.