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Health

31st Jul 2017

Thousands injuring themselves in a bid to lose weight for summer

One in twenty adults admit they don’t know how to use gym equipment correctly.

Alison Bough

Thousands of people are ending up in Accident and Emergency Departments as a result of trying to lose weight for the summer season.

New research carried out in the UK has revealed that thousands of people are seeking medical attention after injuring themselves in a desperate bid to shed the pounds for summer.

The study, commissioned by personal injury solicitors Hayward Baker, found that almost half of Brits have injured themselves as a result of a work-out going wrong.

The findings revealed that one in twenty adults admit they don’t know how to use gym equipment correctly and 41 percent have reportedly suffered a gym-injury in their quest for the ‘perfect’ bod. One in twenty said they had visited a physio or chiropractor after developing long-term exercise related injuries.

Worryingly, nine percent of people said they had carried on working out at the gym, despite being in pain and 38 percent claim they never bother to warm-up before exercising. The research also revealed one in ten have gone full throttle and not built up their miles gradually when attempting long-distance running, while others had attempted to lift weights too heavy for them.

According to the report, 45 percent of adults are hitting the gym or exercising in a bid to get shape for their summer holiday, with one in ten claiming they are undergoing a vigorous fitness regime in order to shift the pounds in time.

The survey found that working out in the gym was the most popular way to exercise, followed by power walking and swimming. One in five are cycling in the hope of losing weight and ten percent are relying on football to fight the flab. A more serene 11 percent are hoping regular yoga sessions will leave them toned in time for their annual holiday.

The most common exercise injury a sprained ankle (21 percent), 18 percent struggle with a back-problem, while 16 percent have broken either their arm, leg or hand after physical activity. More worryingly, one in ten claim to suffer from chest pain and five percent have slipped a disc.

The study also found that 28 percent of respondents said the phrase “all the gear, but no idea” probably applied to them. Over a third said they often wonder why they bother to keep fit as they often end up feeling worse, and a pessimistic 40 percent said they will never achieve their desired ‘beach body’ in time for their summer holiday.