Competitive running or high-impact aerobics pose a high risk of a number of injuries to the bones and muscle. Injuries to knees, ankles, hips, back, shoulders, and elbows are all possible.

Preventing High-Impact Injuries. The following may be helpful for preventing injury:

• Wear shock-absorbing footwear with weight-dampening inserts.

• Combine weight lifting with jumping exercises. This may prevent injury by strengthening hamstrings and improving coordination.

• Vary training and alternate easy and harder workouts.

• Be careful to warm up, cool down, and stretch. Flexibility is the key to preventing many muscle strains.

• Take days off now and then. The risk of injury increases when athletes train more than five times a week.

Treating Minor Injuries. Most mild or moderate injuries respond well to a simple, four-step treatment: rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE). This combination works well for both spot injuries and chronic problems. Ice packs, which reduce inflammation and pain, can help new injuries, and can be useful for the first few hours after a chronically injured area is exercised. How much or how long to compress the injury is unclear.

Evidence suggests that early movement is helpful, although taping or bracing in people with a recurrent ankle sprain is known to be protective. It may not be helpful in those without a previous ankle injury.

Heat, ultrasound, whirlpool, and massage may speed healing if applied a day or two after the initial injury, or for warm-up before another workout session.