Sports injuries are common amongst athletes, and there are many different kinds of injuries that one can sustain when playing sports. The most common sports injuries include muscle strains, knee injuries, Achilles tendon tears, rotator cuff muscle tears, joint dislocations, and fractures.
Preventing sports injuries is important for athletes and sportspeople of all kinds, as it ensures optimal health and exercise performance. It also avoids long-term issues that could impact their ability to continue playing sports or exercising altogether.
There are many different techniques that can be used to prevent sports injuries. You may learn some of the most effective techniques and how to implement them into your routine from a sports medicine expert, such as K. Mathew Warnock, MD.
Below, we have discussed some of the best preventative methods for avoiding injuries when you’re playing sports below.
Warm Up Before Every Session
Warmups are essential for increasing blood flow to the working muscles, enhancing flexibility, and reducing the risk of pulls and strains. Your warmup only needs to be 5-10 minutes, but it’s an important thing to include in your routine. Ideally, you should warm up before a training session, workout, or game.
If you’re in the gym, you can use a cardio machine, such as a treadmill or cross trainer, to warm your muscles up. If you’re on the field ready for a training session or game, you can warmup with dynamic stretches, a quick jog, or some circuit training.
Gradually Increase Your Workout Intensity
To reduce the chance of a sports injury, it’s best to increase your workout intensity gradually. A slow and gradual increase in the time, frequency, or intensity of your sessions will enable your muscles to adapt and reduce the chance of injuries or prevent them.
Use Proper Technique When You’re Exercising
Learn the proper technique to safely perform your chosen sport, whether it’s a field-based or track-based sport or gym-focused like weightlifting. Proper form reduces the risk of injuries by ensuring your joints are properly aligned, and your muscles work in coordination during sports or cardio workouts.
Focus on maintaining good form and posture at all times. If you’re unsure of the correct form, seek guidance from an exercise professional like a coach or trainer. It’s always best to spend time stripping things back to basics and learning the proper form and technique of your chosen sport or exercise type than it is to continue trying to push yourself using poor form.
Consider Cross Training
Often, injuries occur when the body is challenged in new ways or exerted beyond its capabilities. Training in multiple disciplines and expanding your physical skillset is a great way to reduce your risk of injuries. Training in various sports enables you to build agility, coordination, speed, strength, and power, enabling you to build resilience to potential injuries. You can train your muscles to cope with quick twists, turns, and sprints, which are movements that commonly cause sports-related injuries.