Preventing Sport Related Injuries

It is inevitable. At some point in our lives, we will have some form of an injury; either from an accident or from wear and tear on our body. But the good news is there are some things that we can do to help prevent sports injuries or prevent one from coming back. Pay attention to the signs and symptoms of on coming injuries and don't ignore them! Some typical signs are pain in your joints, swelling, reduced movement, and weakness in a certain area of the body.

If you are experiencing pain, for example a sharp pain in your knee, take a few days off. You don't want your symptoms to get worse. However, sometimes with running you will expereince some aches and pains that are sometimes okay to run through.  For example, shin splints are very common as well as tendonitis.  If any pain seems to get worse quickly or has pin pointed to one spot see a sport doctor. 

Execute the RICE method as soon as you can. RICE stands for Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation. You want to rest to give your body time to heal it. This is imperative for proper healing. Ice is to reduce the inflammation and swelling in that injured area. Compression also helps with the reduction of swelling as does elevating the injured area.  Most of the time a few days off will do the trick. If your pain or discomfort continues, you should seek a health professional or sports injury specialist.

Some tips to help prevent injuries are simple. Make sure you have the proper equipment for the activity you are participating in. For example, if you are a runner, good running shoes that fit well are very important in preventing shin splints, stress fractures, and joint pain. Also make sure your equipment, like your shoes, are not broken down as this can cause pain or an injury as well. Proper mechanics are also very important. Make sure you have proper form for the activity you are performing. This applies to every activity from walking to lifting weights. Bad form and bad posture adds more stress on your muscles and joints which in time will form an injury. Also when you have bad form and posture, you will develop a muscle imbalance and instability.  If you are not sure about your mechanics and form, ask a fitness professional to show the proper way.

You also want to make sure that before partaking in an activity and exercise, you warm up and stretch. Warming up helps loosen your muscles and increases the blood flow and oxygen to them. Warm up for at least 10 minutes and then do some stretches. You may also want to stretch after wards. Especially after lifting weights. Stretching after will help reduce muscle soreness.

Remember; use proper technique and proper equipment. Use common sense when exercising. If you are doing something that hurts, stop. Don't move past the point of pain. And if a pain lasts more than a few days, seek treatment. But most importantly, be safe and have fun working out!

- Cathy Parker