5 Ways to Prevent Sports Injuries

Sports can be good for your physical and mental health, since at its best, it involves exercise, community, and a personal sense of accomplishment. Unfortunately, sports injuries are very commonplace, and many of these are avoidable. Orthopedic doctors in Suffolk, NY, treat lots of sports injuries every year, and one of their most important jobs is to work with patients to prevent future injuries. Whether you’ve experienced such an injury yourself or not, the best thing you can do is to come prepared to your sport of choice and make conscious choices that can help protect you from harm.

Use Protective Gear

One of the most obvious ways to protect yourself is to use pads, helmets, and other gear designed to shield you from physical impact. However, not all equipment is equal. You’ll be much better off if you do your research and find equipment with good reviews that will do the job right. You also need to find gear that fits your body correctly. Whether too big or too small, poorly-fitting gear won’t protect you as well, and in some cases, it can injure you on its own. For instance, if something is too tight on you, it could cut off your circulation.

Stretch

Stretching before and after a game can help you warm up and cool down, which lets your muscles adjust to the new situation. You should also stretch regularly as part of your fitness routine. Try to establish a varied routine that will increase both your strength and flexibility. That will help you last longer when you’re playing and practicing, and it will help your body become more resistant to injuries.

Rest

There are two reasons to make sure you get enough rest. First of all, you can strain your muscles too much, and this can hurt you and set back your training. This is especially true if you hurt yourself and try to play through the pain, which just makes the situation worse. Besides this, even if your body is holding up, you could get mentally tired. If you get distracted while involved in anything physical, you could lose focus, and this leads to accidents.

Use Proper Techniques

When you have instructors to show you the right way to move, whether you’re cheerleading, playing soccer, or doing any other sport, they should be very precise. They’re there to show you how to move around without over-extending your joints. It’s often a temptation, especially in practice, to slack off a little and not do everything exactly right, but this could lead to injury. Again, if you’re tired, you can always rest.

Seek Medical Advice

It’s always good to speak with a medical professional before trying a new sport or physical activity. Orthopedic doctors in Suffolk, NY, can help you find the right course of treatment if you’ve been injured, and they can also help you prevent these injuries from happening again. For instance, they can help you learn how to do stretches that target the appropriate muscle groups and are appropriate for your level of flexibility.

About This Author

Jammy Smith Joined: June 20th, 2018