This Year, Vow to Exercise More Safely

The New Year has always been a perfect transition to making those changes you've been talking about (and possibly putting off) all year long. There's just something about the changing of the calendar that urges us to begin anew with some fresh, healthy habits to look and feel our best. Research has shown that when we feel good, we're happier, more productive and much more apt to put our best foot forward and strive to reach our goals. The most popular of these New Year's resolutions to kick our health into gear? Exercise! Getting out and moving around is something most everyone can agree makes them feel good. Whether it's to lose a couple of extra holiday pounds, build up some lean muscle, train for a sports competition or just boost self-esteem and get endorphins flowing, exercise does it all.

So you've made the promise to yourself to get up and put your body to work, but now you also have to make sure you protect it. Along with new fitness activity for anyone who hasn't engaged in it regularly comes a real risk for injury, including fractures, sprains, strains and knee or back pain. Whether you've been exercising for years and want to bump up the intensity or you're brand-new to it, safety is at the top of the priority list. Avoiding injury will enable you to keep moving toward your fitness goals – because the last thing you want to do is end up on the sidelines nursing an injury and pushing pause on all your progress. So, before you go out and jump full-speed into a new work-out regimen, here's what you need to know to safely stay on track:

Click here to read more on how to exercise safely.