How to Prevent Sports Injuries
Sports injuries are common in an athlete’s life. From simple sprains and strains to complex fractures, sudden movements or a forceful impact can cause sports injuries.
The good news is that most sports-related injuries are treatable. A visit to an orthopaedic doctor in Mumbai can help you figure out an effective treatment plan. In the meantime, here’s a look at some preventive strategies to reduce your risk.
Tips for Preventing Sports Injuries
Sports injuries can be acute and chronic. Acute conditions occur suddenly, such as when you twist your joints, and chronic ones develop over time. Chronic sports injuries occur from repetitive use of your joints.
Not all sports injuries are preventable, but a majority of them occur because of a lack of safety gear, poor posture, or overexertion. Below, we’ve listed some practical ways to help keep you safe from these acute and chronic injuries.
1. Start with a Warm Up
Warming up can prepare your body for intense physical exercises, sports, and other physical activities that require strength. You can try simple jumping jacks, brisk walking, and slow jogging for 3-5 minutes. This prevents muscle tears and reduces the risk of sports injuries.
2. Stretch Regularly
Stretching the group of muscles that you use repetitively during sports is another effective way to prevent muscle injuries. Aim for static stretching (holding the stretch for a few seconds) for cool down and dynamic stretching (moving your muscles) for warm up.
3. Always Use Protective Gear
If you play cricket, lacrosse, football, hockey, and other sports that can cause injuries, you must always wear protective equipment. This includes face guards, mouth guards, shoulder pads, helmets, protective cups, and knee & elbow pads. These protective wear must fit properly, i.e. they must not be too tight to restrict your range of motion or too loose to slip off.
4. Avoid Overuse
Overuse injuries are common in athletes. If you push your body beyond its capacity, your risk of having an overuse muscle injury increases. Overtraining can cause shin splints, stress fractures, Achilles tendinitis, and more.
The easiest way to prevent overuse injuries is by gradually increasing the duration and intensity of exercises. If you are starting heavy-intensity exercises, for example, introduce them slowly, following the 10% rule. Start with moderate physical exercises for 20-30 minutes, 3-5 times a week, before transitioning to more intense workout sessions.
5. Use the Right Form
Another crucial factor in preventing sports injuries is using the right technique for physical activities. Whether it’s playing sports or lifting heavy weights, you should do it with proper posture and in the right form. This helps you avoid putting too much weight on your muscles and joints. Avoid lifting weights beyond your comfort level. Work with a trainer to ensure proper posture during physical exercises.
Conclusion
Finally, listen to your body. When something feels off, avoid it. If you feel exhausted, take enough rest. Remember, early recovery and preventive steps are always better than longer downtime. If you have sustained an injury, seek immediate sports injury treatment in Mumbai to ensure a smoother and faster recovery.
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