Whether you are 13 or 30, it is safe to say that playing sports is a good exercise for everyone to stay healthy and be in shape. However there is always that risk of getting severely injured if one does not take the right safety precautions.
Some common injuries that can occur during sports:
Sprains – injuries to the ligaments which are the tough bands of fibrous tissue that connects two bones together in your joints
Strains – injuries to the muscles or tendons which are a fibrous cord of tissue that connects muscle to bones
Acute – these can occur during single traumatic events including wrist fracture, ankle pain, and shoulder dislocations.
- Overuse – these occur overtime when repetitive trauma affects tendons bones and joints such as tennis elbow, swimming shoulder, Achilles tendinitis, and stress fractures.
To try to prevent these injuries as much as you can:
Take time off – in order to stay alert and keep up that energy take at least 1 day off per week to let your body recover and not over strain yourself.
Gear – we are all guilty of disregarding to wear helmets or knee pads time to time but wearing the appropriate and proper protective equipment can keep you one step away from avoiding a severe and traumatic injury
Warm-up – warming up before activities will help gradually bring the heart rate up such as jogging in place. Engaging in low-impact exercises will help players stretch their muscles and help prevent injury and increase flexibility.
Hydration – players can often forget hydrate, which is an essential step for the body to run well. Hydration allows muscles to work properly and avoid cramps and spasms. Taking a water break every 30 minutes is ideal depending on level of activity and temperature.
- Do not play through pain – Always give your body the chance to rest and recover. If you pulled a muscle and twisted your ankle continuing through the pain will only cause more irritation to the injury. Always take a rest when such types of injuries occur.
While many coaches and parents main adjective with sports is to win, it is always important to protect ourselves during a game or during a vigorous activity to make sure we don’t damage our bodies. Remember to always play safe and as a result stay healthy!
Written by: Shruti Sen