5 ways to prevent sports injuries
If you love sports, you don't want an injury to sideline you. While you may not be able to eliminate the occurrence of injuries completely, there are proven ways to reduce the risk.
Wear protective gear
The gear you go for should be determined by the sport you play. Helmets protect the head from injury during sports such as hockey, baseball, softball and biking among others. The helmets vary in design based on the different sports so pick the right one for your sport and go for the correct size as well. It is also important to have a sports mouth guard. Any impact on your mouth region could cause tooth fracture or displacement even when wearing a helmet. On high impact sports like football, mouthguards are essential. Other protective gear includes knee and elbow guards, goggles and wrist pads among others. The shoes you wear can also determine your safety, therefore go for something that fits well.
Warm up before playing
It's not a good idea to just jump into the field and start playing. You should only start playing when your muscles are warmed up as they are less prone to injury. Warming pumps blood and oxygen to the muscles thus improving flexibility. Do warm-ups that suit your sport and stretch specific muscles as you get ready to play.
Rest
You may be tempted to think that if you play every day you better your skills faster; it's a misconception. Rest is crucial in every athlete's life. It makes you stronger and gives your muscles time to rest which prevents injuries.
Don't play when in pain
Playing when in pain no matter how slight is setting yourself up for injury. Pain indicates that something is not right; address the pain before getting back to the field. Sometimes pain can simply be due to pushing the body too hard. However, knowing the difference between that kind of pain and an injury can be difficult. When in doubt, the best practice is to take a break.
Use the correct technique
Coaches exist for a reason; they know better than you do. Whenever your coach tells you to do things in a particular way; listen. Doing some things incorrectly could result in injury especially for beginners who may lack flexibility.
Most of the injuries suffered from sports are preventable when necessary precautions are taken. Take the necessary precaution and avoid injury.
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