Since the beginning of civilization mankind has engaged in sporting activities where we pit ourselves against each other to see who was stronger, faster, or smarter. Sports has been an important part of society and continues to be because of our inner drive to win.
Sporting competition, by its nature means that participants will exert themselves physically. They will test their strength, and other attributes, and in many cases push themselves past the point of endurance. Because of this intrinsic quality found in sports, we can expect that there will be many injuries on the sports field. Whether it’s a professional game or a group of weekend warriors, injuries will most likely occur.
If you are someone who plays sports, you need to be concerned about injuries because some injuries can be physically devastating. Others might be not as bad but can still cause pain, make you lose time at work, and take away your quality of life for an extended period of time. Those who participate in sports need to have a strategy for staying injury free. Their first line of defense is to visit a reputable physical therapist. These medical professionals can minimize the potential for injury and even help you heal when you are injured.
Here are some more ways for those who are active in sports to avoid injury.
Make Sure That You Warm Up Well
Many professional athletes will argue that warming up exercises are so important that they should be considered part of the game. These exercises are specifically chosen to help athletes become more limber and strong on the field. Athletes utilize exercises from many fitness routines but many are often from Pilates routines.
Pilates is chosen so often because it strengthens the body’s core, provides a full body exercise, and provides great flexibility routines for any athlete. Pilates classes provide an athlete with warm up exercises that can be done before any game and without any additional equipment. Once an athlete has gone through the Pilates routine, they will be warmed up, and ready for the game.
Avoid any Unnecessary Contact
Some sports are full-contact while others, even non-contact, generally involve varying degrees of contact during play. In terms of injuries, contact is a typical & prevalent cause. When adrenaline is pumping and bodies are moving at top speed, contact can occur that results in someone being injured. Although contact cannot be avoided in all cases, if you play sports you should do all you can to avoid unnecessary contact. If there is an opportunity for you to move out of the way and it does not negatively impact the game, you should take that opportunity.
Quite often when people are injured because of contact it is unintentional. Although unintentional, these incidents contribute greatly to the large number of people who are injured while playing sports. The key is to always pay attention and be aware of where other players are. Staying alert might save you a trip to the hospital.