Health Tip: Reduce Your Risk of Exercise Injury

(HealthDay News) -- Getting regular exercise is vital, but it's equally important to protect yourself against injury.

The American Academy of Family Physicians suggests these precautions:

• When starting an exercise regimen, avoid overdoing it before your body is ready.
• Start exercising for a few minutes each day, increasing duration and intensity over time.
• Warm up before every workout for 10 minutes to 15 minutes. Try brisk walking and gentle stretching.
• Follow every workout with 10 minutes to 15 minutes of walking/stretching to cool down.
• Listen to your body. Stop your workout if you feel dizzy, nauseous, faint, out of breath or in pain.