The areas of the body most commonly affected by sports injuries can be challenging to heal and be more susceptible to repeated injury. Recovery can be an ongoing process, depending on the severity of the damage. Taking steps to prevent injury while participating in sports can safely keep you in the game longer, allowing you to enjoy beneficial physical activity.
Common Areas of Injury
Parts of the body from the waist down are more prone to sports injuries, but shoulders, elbows, and backs are also inclined to abuse. Bone, blood vessels, cartilage, ligaments, muscles, nerves, and tendons are commonly injured. Injuries can be classified as acute, happening suddenly, or chronic, generally developing from overuse or reinjuring over time.
Most common sports injuries do not need medical attention, but injuries more serious in nature may require a stabilizer such as a brace, splint, or cast. Physical therapy could be necessary to address some injuries.
Practicing prevention measures can reduce both acute and chronic sports injuries, minimizing the effects they can have on everyday life. Some injuries can take months up to a year to heal. Prevention is always the goal, but if an injury occurs, limiting the chances of reinjury is critical to long-term recovery and health.
Maintain Good Physical Health
Individuals who sporadically participate in sports are more likely to suffer injury than those who consistently engage in sports while participating in conditioning training targeted specifically for the activity.
Know your limits. If something feels uncomfortable, then listen to the signals. It constantly communicates through the sudden sensations we experience throughout the body. A sharp pain in a knee or muscle spasm in our back can be a symptom that needs addressing.
Warm Up
Before participating in any sport, regardless of its aggressiveness, stretch to prepare your body for the activity. Warm-ups have the ability to increase muscle temperature and range of motion, blood vessels will dilate to increase blood flow, and hormonal changes regulate energy production.
Wear the Proper Equipment
Sports equipment continues to improve, offering superior injury prevention. Properly wearing gear is also necessary. Your sport participation will dictate the type of equipment you need.
Every day in the United States, between 23,000 and 25,000 people suffer an ankle sprain.
Sports often require quick movements, directional changes, and pressure adjustments that lead to injury. Proper equipment is paramount in reducing the number of sprains.
Notice Your Body’s Current State
Lack of sleep before participating in a sport or playing with a minor injury increases the chances of a more intense injury. Lack of sleep creates a slower response time and decreases accuracy, causing participants to over or underestimate body movements.
Minor injuries need the proper time to heal. Reinjuring the same area of the body can lead to chronic injury and pain, which can become debilitating with age. For more insights into how to handle minor sports injuries and the legal aspects related to sports injuries, you can also look to a Las Vegas personal injury lawyer for help.
Eat for Prevention
One of the best forms of prevention of sports injuries is eating a balanced diet. Consuming highly processed foods and sugars leads to poor cardiovascular health and muscle weakness. It can be impossible to meet your body’s energy requirements when consuming a poor diet.
A diet that lacks the proper balance of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins can leave a person feeling sluggish and tired. Coordination and focus can also suffer, creating an environment for an increased risk of injuries.
Prevention Now for Better Health Later
Maintaining an active lifestyle while aging is possible when practicing sports injury prevention. Chronic injuries can lead to a more sedentary lifestyle resulting from constant pain. Preventing sports injuries can lessen the risks of depression, anxiety, and poor sleep habits, dramatically increasing the quality of life we can experience.
