Sports injuries can change the course of your life by preventing you from participating in your routine activities. You always want to do the things that you like but when something like a sports injury forces you to stay away from it then it really hurts. Sports injuries are very common but that doesn’t mean you can’t do anything about them. According to experts, proper training and abiding by the rules of the games can easily help you keep injuries at bay.
In addition to that, a healthy and strong body is also very important for avoiding injuries and illnesses. If you are an athlete you must take appropriate preventative action to avoid sports injuries. Athletes who underestimate the importance of taking an appropriate preventative action always end up receiving more injuries than those who take it seriously.
Common injuries like ankle sprain hamstring strain, shin splints, shoulder injury, knee injury, tennis elbow, and groin pull etc., can affect your function tremendously. So it’s always important to take necessary measures to prevent them.
According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “More than 2.6 million children 0-19 years old are treated in the emergency department each year for sports and recreation-related injuries.” It means, they affect both teenage athletes and adult athletes, thereby making it difficult for them to give a good performance.
Here are some of the important tips for both athletes and non-athletes to avoid sports injuries.
Include Stretching Into Your Training Regimen
Stretching exercises are very important for enhancing flexibility so you must include them in your training regimen. The more flexible your body is the lesser you get injured. Always make sure that the stretching exercises that you perform during your routine training sessions must be chosen according to the sports you play. Hamstring stretch, shoulder stretch, hip flexor stretch and quadriceps stretch are some of the most important stretching exercises that help in enhancing your flexibility.
Don’t Underestimate Warm-Ups
Warms ups are really important because they prepare your body for any sort of intense physical activity. Whether you are a runner, a footballer or a tennis player, it’s important for you to perform warm-ups before you start your game. In addition to that, make sure that you include warm-ups in your workout sessions as well. Maintaining a strong body is essential for athletes, and you should also do the same by carrying out effective exercises on a daily basis.
So, wherever you start with your workout sessions in the morning or evening for that matter, make sure that you devote sufficient time to warm-ups. They make your muscles ready for performing intense physical activities.
Resistance Training
As we have already discussed that having a strong body is very important for any athlete in this world, so make sure that you include resistance training in your fitness regimen. According to studies, resistance training plays a crucial role in reducing the sports injuries in both athletes and non-athletes. It means, if you are someone who only plays sports during the weekends, then you can also benefit a lot from resistance training.
In addition to that, studies also show that resistance training helps in increasing the performance of the athletes.
Follow The Rules of The Game
It is very important that you follow all the important rules that are associated with your sports if you really want to avoid injuries. There is no denying the fact that, rules are always designed to prevent injuries and to reduce chaos and confusions. So, if you follow the rules religiously you can easily reduce your chances of getting injured, and at the same time, it has an enormous positive impact on your performance. On top of that, athletes who follow the rules are respected by their fans tremendously. So, if you want to be recognized as a disciplined athlete, make sure that you abide by the rules and regulations of your game.
Never Play While Your Are Ill
Whenever you feel that you are not well, try to avoid participating in the game to recover from your problem. Whether you are feeling a little weak, or you are struggling with a musculoskeletal condition like back pain, shoulder pain or knee pain etc., it’s always important to take proper rest, so that you can heal quickly. Athletes who make the mistake of carrying out intense physical activities even when they feel sick or weak end up suffering from injuries. Take proper rest if you are not feeling good, and get back to your activities only when you believe that you can do perform them effectively.
Wear Protective Gear
No matter which sport you are interested in, it’s important that you get into the field with proper protective gear such as helmet, mouth guard, gloves, and pads etc. It’s very important to understand that when protective gear is available in the market, why to invite unnecessary troubles by avoiding them.
The moment you understand the fact that they are designed for everyone who plays sports to protect them from sudden injuries, you will surely start using them on your own. Imagine, if you play boxing without wearing a mouth guard you will definitely end up damaging your teeth. So, if you play a sport during which you face an increased risk of injuring your hands, knees, teeth, and stomach makes sure that you do not enter the ground without wearing relevant protective gear.
Get Yourself Trained
Training is very important to master the art of playing any sport. You can’t just live with a false notion that you can play any sport very well without taking proper training. People who believe in such things are among those who end up receiving injuries frequently. So, give sufficient time to your training sessions and follow the advice of your trainer or coach effectively.
Treatment for Sports Injuries
Treating sports injuries effectively is a big challenge so it’s imperative for you to seek the assistance of a right healthcare professional. Most of the times when you struggle with severe pain caused by injuries, all you think about is to subside the pain and hence you end up taking painkillers, which is perhaps not the right way to deal with them. It’s very important for you to identify what is causing pain in the first place and then go for the relevant treatment.
Experts believe that consulting a physical therapist is one of the best ways to deal with injuries received while playing sports. And the main reason for that is a physical therapist always make efforts to address the primary source of the pain, which helps in offering the permanent solution for your problem.
According to Revive Physical Therapy, “The right physical therapy can effectively treat your sports injury to get you back to your activities pain-free and safely.”
Based on what kind of pain you are struggling with your therapist designs a treatment plan for you. For example, if you have injured your leg while playing then they will try to identify the exact location of the injury. And after that, they will try to heal it by using accurate techniques. What’s really interesting about approaching a physical therapist is if you are unable to visit their clinic, they may even offer you in-home physical therapy services.
Martin is a writer, student and pet lover. He loves butter chicken, and seeing his small pug, naughty Annie. When he isn't writing, you can find her at near Starbucks.
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