Prevention is better than cure, so avoid bodybuilding injuries by having proper warm ups before exercising and use correct form and techniques when training with weights.

Many of you who have followed my articles will know that I am a serious advocate of avoiding bodybuilding injuries by constantly emphasizing on proper warm ups and using proper form and techniques during weight lifting in the gym. Okay, if you think that that I am a long winded nagger, then this article, although it is still about weightlifting injuries, is no longer about avoidance of such injuries, but to treat the injuries already sustained.

This article will cover the immediate first aid treatment you will need to recover from a bodybuilding induced injuries. That is assuming that the injuries sustained are not too serious that need immediate medical attention.

Okay, so sometimes bodybuilding exercises hurt. But how do you know when it's a good hurt or a bad hurt?

The good hurt tends to occur after a bodybuilding workout and feels like a dull ache in the muscle or commonly called the "delayed onset muscle soreness" (DOMS). This type of ache usually indicates that you have been working on that particular muscle hard enough and is a response to the effectiveness of your weight lifting workout although not always necessarily so.

The bad hurt, which generally signifies an injury, is usually sharp pain and the pain comes from a specific spot like in a specific joint or muscle spot. It usually starts as an uncomfortable feeling, which you think will go away. Next thing you know, you are in full-blown pain! Oh dear, what next?

Treat bodybuilding injuries with "RICE"

The acroynym RICE is for the general treatment of minor weightlifting injuries such as sprains, joint pains, tendonitis, pulled ligaments etc.

• R = Rest
• I = Ice
• C = Compression
• E = Elevation

Rest -- Avoid all activities that aggravate your injury. You may even need to skip your gym workout for a couple of weeks. Rest can mean the difference between a long recuperation (and possibly medical invasive procedures) or just a few days or a few weeks off.

Ice -- Ice helps reduce swelling by restricting blood flow. 15-20 minutes, three to four times a day is recommended as long as the pain remains.

Compression -- Put pressure on the injured site to help keep swelling down. You want to wrap a bandage or a towel tightly enough to feel some pressure but not enough to cause numbness or affecting blood circulation.

Elevation -- Elevate the injured area to reduce swelling.

Your condition should improve with "RICE" treatment. Most of the time, you should see some results within 20 minutes of treatment. However if the pain persists or gets worse, then it time to see your doctor or a sports physician as your condition may be worse than what was initially thought to be.