19 Mar Prevention of sport related injuries
In accordance with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in 2012, it was reported that football is the leading cause of sports injuries in schools. An approximate 466,492 people were admitted for football-related injuries in hospital emergency rooms.
Below are a few sport medicines that will help to reduce sport related injuries:
- Maintaining proper fitness
Ensure that you are physically fit at the beginning of the football season. Be sure to stick to a balanced fitness program that will incorporate strength training, aerobic exercise, and flexibility. If you happen to be out of shape at the start of a new season, make sure you increase your daily activity level and gradually build yourself back up to an optimum fitness level. This is a natural sports medicine practice.
- Pre-season physical test
This is a sport medicine practice that is mandatory for all players, this is to help determine their readiness to play and unravel any condition that may affect their participation.
- Warm up and stretch
Always make out time to stretch and warm up, most especially your knees, hips, calves, and thighs. Various research has proven that cold muscles are much more prone to injury. Ensure you warm up with running, jumping jacks, or simply walking for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Cool down and stretch
Many players ignore stretching at the end of practice due to busy schedules. Muscle soreness can be greatly reduced by stretching, and it keeps muscles flexible and long. Make sure you stretch at the end of each training to reduce the risk of injuries.
- Hydrate
It is a general recommendation to consume at least 24 ounces of non-caffeinated liquid 2 hours before exercise. This is a great and natural sports medicine practice.
