Sports injuries are a common occurrence for many athletes. These injuries often result in discomfort, pain and temporary or permanent disability depending on the severity of injury like bru vs par. There are some techniques that can help improve sports injuries and prevent them from occurring too frequently.
Headaches, dizziness, asthma, heartburn and back pain are just a few of the different symptoms that can occur as a result of sports injuries. Sports injuries can be very painful and affect your ability to function normally. Many athletes will go to great lengths to avoid injury by practicing techniques in the hope that it will improve their performance.
I have compiled a list of 10 techniques that will help you prevent sports injuries during your training or while playing sports.
1.) Use proper form when you play sports
– When coaching young athletes or participating in team sports, I always emphasize the importance of using good form when performing certain tasks such as swinging a bat or throwing a ball or anything else where you cannot see what you are doing. A lot of injuries occur because the body is not using proper form.
– Once in a while, you will find yourself playing basketball where the rules say that you must stand with your knees bent and arms straight down by your side. You might be tempted to grab a rebound or make a shot while holding the ball with your arms straight out. This can be dangerous and can lead to several injuries such as shoulder, elbow, wrist and ACL injuries.
2.) Warm up before every practice or game
– A warm up is something that many athletes do not do enough of before their next practice or game, especially in sports where there may not be an actual warm up such as baseball. – Warming up is one of the most important times in an athlete’s day because it prepares the body for the strain or stress that it will be experiencing. A good warm up can reduce injuries, improve performance and enhance recovery.
3.) Use proper equipment
– Many different injuries occur due to using improper equipment or no equipment as in certain sports like golf. Using proper equipment can help prevent many injuries such as tennis elbow, shin splints and blisters.
4.) Listen to your body
– Some athletes disregard their bodies’ well -being and push themselves too hard before they are ready to play a game or perform a certain task. If an athlete is pushing too hard, it will be difficult for them to recover and play the next game.
– Some suggest that you do not train too hard for 8 hours each day. I agree but would also say you should listen to your body and not overtrain yourself by doing too much during a certain time of the day.
5.) Stretch properly before, during and after each workout
– One of the most common injuries that athletes experience is overuse or repetitive injury of a certain muscle group like the hamstrings or quadriceps. Many times, when an athlete is working very intensely on their sport they will neglect one of their other muscle groups. When neglected, that muscle group becomes weak or stretched out and the injury is often difficult to recover from.
– Proper stretching techniques will help prevent many injuries that are common in sports such as Achilles tendinitis, jumper’s knee, patellar tendinitis and many others.
6.) Do not wear shoes too tight
– When playing in sports such as soccer or football, wearing shoes that are too tight can be very dangerous because they put your feet in a position where they cannot move correctly and cause you to twist your ankle or injure your knee. This will often be the cause of many sport related injuries such as knee pain and sprained ankles. A lot of athletes will try to wear shoes that are too big for them in hopes that it will give them support.
– Wearing shoes that are too big can also make it difficult for you to perform certain movements correctly during a game and can lead to many injuries such as shin splints or blisters.
7.) Proper nutrition before, during and after practice or a game
– Nutritional habits are very important in sports because they can help you train longer, recover faster and perform at a higher level. There are certain foods that should not be eaten before playing sports such as meats, nuts, seeds and dairy products.
– When playing sports like soccer, a lot of athletes will have a small snack before the game in hopes that it will give them some energy for the game. This is not necessary but can be beneficial.
– Eating a good meal after practice or after a game can help your body recover from the physical activity and allow you to train or play again tomorrow.
8.) Do not drink too much water
– Water is considered to be fluid and many athletes do not realize that they should drink water slowly so they do not spill it on themselves while playing sports such as football. Water can also lead to dehydration and be very dangerous if taken too much during a practice or game especially in football where you may accidentally take an extra kick.
– Drinking too much water can cause you to become more tired, lose more energy and affect your performance. Make sure to drink only water as a sports drink when training or playing sports.
9.) Protect your elbows
– Many athletes will make the mistake of using their elbows to block during a game and suffer from elbow injuries such as displaced fractures. Using your elbows is not good because it may cause you to twist or pivot in an awkward position causing injury or pain. Not using your elbows while blocking can also lead to injury such as ACL tears and sprained wrists. The most common type of elbow related injury is in basketball where the elbow is used frequently during blocking/shooting games.
10.) Do not play when you are sick
– Many athletes say that they would rather play a game or practice when they are sick and not feel good than not play at all. Playing when you are sick can lead to many injuries such as the flu and inflamed throat. Even though you might be feeling a little better during practice, your body is still weak and cannot perform at the same level as it could before. It is important to listen to your body and take a day off from playing sports if you are feeling sick or fatigued.
Conclusion:
Athletes will continue to push themselves to the limit and experience injury in order to try and beat their competition. Every athlete is different and can experience injury from different activities. Athletes should always listen to their bodies, warm up before every practice or game, use proper equipment, do not overtrain your body for long periods of time and most importantly, eat healthy foods!
