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Avoiding injuries is just as important as building strength. In this episode, Dr. Schulman breaks down the most common gym injuries and how you can prevent them.
Chiropractic Fitness
8316 Pineville-Matthews Rd, Charlotte, NC 28226
704-543-7206
Hey everyone, welcome to Back to Fitness! I’m Dr. Craig Schulman, and today we’re talking about something every gym-goer needs to know—how to prevent injuries before they happen. Nothing slows down progress faster than an injury, and the good news is, most injuries are avoidable if you know what to watch for.
Here are the top three injuries I see in active people, along with how to prevent them.
The first is Lower Back Strain
This is hands down one of the most common gym injuries. It usually happens when lifting weights with poor form, especially during deadlifts and squats. A few ways to protect your back are to Engage your core, keep a neutral spine, and avoid lifting too heavy to soon.
Engaging your core stabilizes your spine and prevents excessive stress.
Keep a neutral spine and don’t round or overextend.
When lifting, master your form first before moving up.
The second most common injury is shoulder injuries.
Overhead presses, bench presses, and push-ups can all put stress on your shoulders, especially if you lack shoulder mobility or stability.
Always warm up your shoulders before lifting—arm circles and band pull-aparts help!
Remember to strengthen your rotator cuffs. stabilizer muscles need training, too.
Watch your form—keep your shoulders down and avoid excessive arching.
Lastly, we see a lot of Knee Pain & Joint Strain.
Squats and lunges are great for building leg strength, but poor form can wreck your knees.
Make sure your knees track over your toes and aren’t caving inward.
Strengthen your glutes and hamstrings—imbalances often lead to knee issues.
Don’t skip mobility work—tight hips and ankles can force your knees into awkward positions.
A little prevention goes a long way in keeping you strong and injury-free. But if you’re feeling stiff, sore, or dealing with an injury, don’t push through pain—get it checked out!
Need help recovering or preventing injuries? Visit Chiropractic Fitness in Charlotte, NC! Call us at 704-543-7206, or check out chiropracticfitness.com for more fitness tips. See you next time!
I came in with a reversed cervical curve and Dr. Schulman was able to completely fix it. He uses different techniques than just the basic readjustments that most chiropractors do, so he actually fixes problems long term. Mary the receptionist is also so sweet and welcoming. Always brightens my day to see her!
I’m so glad I came here! 🙌 Everyone made me feel like they genuinely cared about my health and getting me better. I had never had X-rays done on my back before, and being able to actually see what was going on and understand that there were ways to improve it made me feel much more at ease. I really appreciate the doctor for explaining everything, giving me stretches to work on at home, and providing adjustments that have been helpful. I’m definitely coming back!
Great experience! Went in for a DOT exam and it was super fast the doctor and front desk were very nice.
I highly recommend Dr. Schulman! He is personable, knowledgeable, and professional. I went from having neck and back pain almost every day to having no pain at all. I also continued seeing him throughout my pregnancy, and he was always thoughtful about accommodating me and adjusting care as needed. Sheila and Mary at the front are so sweet and welcoming as well. I’m very appreciative of the care and kindness I’ve received here!
I came into Dr. Schulman's office with severe sciatica pain, heel pain on right, and such a tight neck that I couldn't sleep at night from throbbing aches and pains. Now that I've been seeing Dr. Schulman for 3 months now, I'm running with my dogs again, and getting back into the gym without any back or neck pain. Best decision I ever made for self care! Highly recommend!
I have endured an 18 year headache due to a car accident. I’ve visited multiple Chiropractors over the years with no change to my issue. I’m now seeing there is light at the end of this dark tunnel. The care that I am receiving is unmatched. I no longer have a constant headache. I recommend coming here for Chiropractic care if you desire to get better.
I found Dr. Schumann at the Taste of Charlotte a few weeks back, and it has completely turned everything around for the better. I have had chronic pain in my low back, hip, leg, and groin since November of 2025 (~7 months unresolved). I went to orthopedic doctors, physiologists, physical therapists and more in that time frame — no one was able to give me a concrete or definite source of my pain — if anything, I was thrown around a million different diagnoses and treatments. I’m a healthy, active 26 y/o and had no prior injury. Very quickly (when I say fast, I mean with scans evaluated during our FIRST consult) Dr. Schumann was able to identify that I’ve had a pinched nerve at my S1. I’ve been following his plan for the last two weeks and have already felt relief that I completely forgot exists. I can proudly say that I am no longer in chronic pain, while I experience minimal flares as we work to fully resolve the issue. I plan to continue treatment until my spine is realigned. Whether you’re in need of immediate relief, long term relief, or someone that will affirm you are not crazy and there is a source to your pain — Chiropractic Fitness is the place to go (and Dr. Schulman’s team is absolutely phenomenal and so helpful).
Excellent care. Knowledgeable chiropractor and patient care.