As temperatures begin to cool, more people will be trading the treadmill for neighborhood walks, trails, and weekend hikes. Before you head out, orthopedic sports medicine surgeon Dr. Justin Harrington of Hughston Clinic Orthopedics says a little preparation can go a long way.

1. Actually Warm Up

You may have been able to roll out of bed and start exercising at 15, but our bodies become less forgiving as we age.

Harrington recommends taking time for a genuine warm-up that incorporates movement and stretching before activity. Dynamic movement can help prepare the body for what’s coming, rather than asking cold muscles and joints to perform immediately.

A cool-down can also be beneficial, but Harrington considers warming up particularly important for injury prevention.

2. Don’t Assume Pain Means Weakness

One common mistake among fitness-minded people is assuming that if something hurts, it must need to be strengthened.

That isn’t always true.

If you’re already active and regularly training, repeatedly hammering an irritated area may actually make the problem worse. Pain can interfere with normal muscle activation, making “training through it” less productive than you think.

If you’ve been trying to strengthen an area and the pain persists, consider backing off and letting it recover rather than automatically adding more work.

3. Look for Balance

Where you feel pain isn’t necessarily where the underlying problem begins.

Harrington uses the hips as an example. Someone experiencing anterior hip or groin discomfort may assume the answer is more hip-flexor work, even when they are already overly dominant through the front of the hip.

In that situation, focusing on the posterior chain — including the glutes and hamstrings — may help create better muscular balance.

The bigger lesson is simple: listen to your body, warm it up before asking it to perform, and don’t assume more training is always the answer.

Sometimes the smartest thing an active person can do is know when to back off.