Top 8 Tips to Prevent From Major Sports Injuries
Health is the greatest gift. We cannot buy our health, but we have to earn it through healthy living. Sports and exercise help us to stay physically fit and encourage us to have a healthy lifestyle. Playing sports is fun and healthy at the same time. We can choose a sport that we love to do, and it improves our concentration, mood, relieves stress, boosts self-confidence thereby, enhancing overall behavior.
While sports are exciting, getting injured is not a joke. We can easily handle a minor injury, but serious injuries affect the person physically and mentally.
Accidents happen sometimes, and it is unavoidable. However, by following a few preventive measures, we can avoid risk injuries.
Support Ways to Prevent Sports Injuries
Sports are great for the mind and body, and with efficient methods, we can often prevent sports injuries. The quality of protective elements like facemasks, eye protection, mouthguards, shoes, helmet, padding- helps improve safety.
It is advisable to contact healthcare professionals before starting with sport activity. The general sports injuries are sprains and strains, dislocation, pain along the bone, joint injuries(knee, shoulder, ankle), muscle injuries, Achilles tendon injuries, and fracture.
Now, let us see some of the general discrete measures that will enhance the player’s safety. Surprisingly, most of them listed below are not difficult to put into practice.
- Game Rule:
We are well aware that all games and sports have their own set of rules and regulations. The rules guide the team to play a fair game and avoid injuries. These rules implant sportsmanship and techniques among the players and promote safety. When players follow the game rules, they avoid specific endangered injuries. So, we can now understand why it is essential to follow the regulations of the game.
2. Muscle Flexibility
Warm up the mind, heart, and body before starting with the practice. It gradually increases the heart rate, relaxes the connecting tissues, warms the muscles, promotes functionality and mobility. Warming up allows oxygen flow to the tendons, joints, ligaments, muscles, and other body parts.
It is the initial step in any sport or exercise. Stretching the muscles and preparing the body for the sport/exercise helps the body warm up and ready for the game. If the player neglects to stretch the muscles, then the tight muscles cause tendon strain.
Similarly, it is vital to cool down the heart rate to normal. This step is essential for the body to remove the excess waste and allow the nutrients and oxygen to enter the muscles.
3. Protective Gears
Emergencies and accidents happen anytime. It is necessary to be ready to face unexpected injuries by using protective gear and equipment. There are protective gears available as eyewear, faceguards, mouthpiece, protective cups, helmets, pads (neck, shoulder, chest, elbow, shin, knee). The gears should fit properly and meet the standards. With the help of the coach, we can select the proper types of equipment. However, wearing the equipment alone is not going to protect you from risky injuries.
4. Follow Techniques
There is a fixed rule in playing games. However, the coaches add a pinch of technique to elevate the overall performance of the game. Moreover, these techniques protect from serious repercussions. Each sport requires different coordination of body movements, and it helps improve performance. A calm and composed team can play a great game by avoiding extreme injuries.
5. Avoid Dehydration
An adult human body has 45% to 60% of water in the body. Irrespective of the climatic condition, the human body has to be hydrated at regular intervals to maintain stable body temperature, stabilize the blood volume, and ease muscle contractions. Players, while practicing, should take breaks in between to prevent themselves from head injuries. Sports dietitians recommend players drink electrolyte drinks to give them additional hydration and energy.
6. Nutritious Diet
Having a healthy and nutritious diet is good for overall well-being. Exercise and sports consider a healthy diet plan as the basis of a proper fitness plan. The players can regain the lost stamina and energy to sustain their performance in the game. A healthy meal plan will have all the necessary elements fueling their body health to perform well.
7. Have a Break
Mind and body need rest to recover from a regular schedule so that they can have refreshing sessions. Taking breaks from a packed schedule helps to understand what the body needs. Many players neglect minor pains and injuries, but taking breaks and adhering to the pains prevent serious issues.
8. Regular Check-up
It is not mandatory to visit the healthcare professional only when feeling sick or injured. Meeting with a sports medicine physician for regular check-ups can help us keep track of our body and its needs. The body does not need to have an external injury to experience pain and soreness, experience discomfort that cannot be seen or felt. Visiting professions help pinpoint the vulnerabilities and weaknesses of the body and treat them before getting into practice.
Preventive Measures While Playing Sports
Accidents happen in sports, and we can follow specific preventive measures to avoid them. We will look at the primary steps to ensure safe play.
- Understanding the sport and following the rules and techniques of the game. Seeking professional guidance is essential.
- It is important to do warm-up, stretching, and cool-down exercises to relax the muscles and ease the blood flow.
- Always wear protective gear that is well-fitted. Using helmets can protect face and eye injuries.
- Mouthguards are compulsory for all kinds of contact sports. Getting a professional fitting from a sports doctor is a must.
- Wear wrist, elbow, and knee guard for all kinds of risk-falling sports. It protects from worsening the injury.
- Shin pads are crucial while playing softball, hockey, cricket because the injuries are prone to happen in the lower part of the body.
- Cross-training with other sports elevates the overall stamina and strength.
Following the safety measure prevents extreme injuries, but it cannot always be the same. If accidents or risky injuries happen, treating it and allowing a stable recovery time enhances further performance.
Final Thought
A great way to enjoy sports is by avoiding injuries to a greater extent. By practicing common sense, safety, and prevention, a player can shine in finding more longevity and success in sports.
Practicing basics can help in the long run. By charting a fitness plan that includes strength training, cardiovascular exercise, and flexibility- we can decrease the chances of getting hurt. Similarly, the sports gears and the warming exercises prevent injury. Drinking water, getting rest, and following game rules are simple and best ways to keep up the sport.
There are rehabilitation centers that help recover from the darkest period and encourage them for a new start.