5 Ways to Avoid Sports Injuries

Playing sports comes with a whole range of benefits. From keeping the child healthy to helping him or her develop sportsman spirit, these are benefits that last well into adulthood. The only flip side is that sports can also bring in its wake, injuries.

Here are 5 ways to avoid sports injuries and to become the master of the game:

Protective Gear

This certainly has to be the number one factor to save you from injuries. The choice of protective gear, of course, depends upon the specific sporting activity. The commonest protective gear is a helmet. In fact it protects your head when you are playing a whole range of sporting activities be it football, hockey, cricket, baseball, skateboarding or more. Of course, you need to choose the right helmet basis the sport you are playing.  The important thing also is that the helmet should fit comfortably.

Some of the other protective gear includes:

• Mouth guard
• Eye protection
• Wrist/elbow/knee guards

The feet are another area that need to be protected with the right footwear to prevent a sports injury. If you are playing football, for example, cleats with special points on the sole to ensure a firm grip, are key.

Warming Up

Much as you want to get straight into the game, it is important to remember that warming up is important. A warm up helps with a number of issues. For one, it gradually raises your body temperature and blood flow to the muscles. It also reduces muscle soreness and significantly lessens the risk of injury. A good warm up should also increase the range of motion and mentally prepare you for exercise.

You need to undertake warm up exercises specific to the sporting activity that you undertake. A warm up should begin with gentle exercise that increases your body’s core and muscle temperature and then progresses to dynamic stretches.

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Ensure that you understand the rules of the game

Among the causes of sports injuries is the inability to thoroughly understand the rules of the game. Once you understand the rules of the game the chances of injury are significantly reduced. This is because you, as well as the other players, know exactly what to expect. Understanding of the rules not only make you a better player, they also keep you out of harm’s way. Ensure that you are aware of proper techniques of the game and follow it fully. Sports Injury specialists often report that when patients come to them they report that they always follow guidelines except for that one time. You need to ensure that there is no lapse, for it can cause you great harm.

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Set Realistic Goals

While excelling in sports needs a lot of hard work and perseverance, it is equally important to be realistic about your goals. If you are a weight lifter, for instance, you need to set an achievable goal and set out to achieve it. Remember that sports injuries occur on account of two reasons- trauma as well as overuse. Getting in shape or learning a new sport takes time. Allowing your body adequate time to adjust to the stresses on our joints, muscles is key. What is equally important is to listen to your body. In case your body shows signs of too much stress, it is important to adjust the level of activity. While a mild muscle pain that is short-lived is fine, continuous pain in your joints, however, isn’t normal.

Don’t Play When You’re Injured

You may be tempted to go back and play even if you have had an injury. Not allowing yourself to fully heal does not work well. Do not hesitate to visit a doctor for any injury and ensure you follow the doctor’s advice. Specifically watch out for the following signs:

• Persistent pain
• Swelling
• Painful pops
• Pain that doesn’t get better even after resting.

The answer to what are the safety measures to avoid unnecessary injuries in playing sports, also lies in a pre-emptive physical examination before you start an activity. This will ensure any concern is proactively identified and the athlete is kept from further injuring himself.

To Sum Up

Prevention, as they say, is better than cure! With these handy tips you can ensure that you keep yourself safe. Other than these tips, the importance of having a balanced diet and keeping yourself hydrated cannot be overemphasized.