When it comes to sports and other physical activities, there is nothing more exhilarating than doing something that makes you feel good and look good at once! Whether you are a professional athlete, a weekend warrior, or a regular gym goer, you are most likely focused on improving your performance and physical fitness every time. This is where injury prevention comes in.
Injury prevention should be an important part of every physical activity, because it not only helps you achieve your training goals but also keeps you healthy and safe. Performing complex mathematics without adequate preparation can hurt your brain; running a marathon without adequate preparation can hurt your body.
What to Do to Prevent Injuries
Injuries occur when excessive stress is placed on the bones, muscles, and ligaments. To ensure that you can enjoy your favorite activity without risking your health in the process, always follow these injury prevention guidelines:
- Warm up to increase your blood flow and loosen up your body. Any gentle, rhythmic movements, such as deep breaths, are a good start.
- Perform careful stretches, holding each stretch for no more than 20 seconds. Avoid stretching to the point of pain or stretching already painful areas.
- Develop a balanced fitness program that provides a full body workout, including cardiovascular, strength and flexibility training.
- Use proper equipment and technique, yet do not rely on these elements to prevent all injuries.
- Perform a cool-down routine after every training session. It is complete once your skin is dry and your heart rate has slowed to its normal pace.
- Get plenty of rest, with a minimum of 1 day per week and 1 month per year for a complete recovery between training sessions.
- For weekend warriors, it is critical to keep the body warmed up and ready for strenuous activity. The best way to do that is to maintain regular fitness levels during the week. All it takes is 60 minutes per day, and not necessarily all at once!
- For individuals with pre-existing health conditions, such as diabetes or high blood pressure, it is important to speak with a doctor prior to engaging in any strenuous activity.
Sports Medicine Doctors Near You
Learning about the importance of injury prevention and implementing general tactics is an important first step towards a healthier, happier lifestyle. Unfortunately, many athletes and weekend warriors alike consider the “Better safe than sorry” philosophy only after sustaining an injury. In such cases, we recommend that you speak with a sports medicine doctor about your distinct case and preventing future injuries.
If you would like to discuss injury prevention anywhere in the Manatee or Sarasota Counties of Florida, look no further than Coastal Orthopedics Sports Medicine & Pain Management: Our sports medicine physicians look forward to helping you enjoy your favorite sport or exercise program to the fullest.
