No matter how hard you may try to avoid them, there is always a risk of sports injury. And the more contact in a sport, the greater the risk of injury. Now, this doesn't mean that non-contact sports don't have injury risks at all. In fact, the most frequent sports injuries athletes and active adults suffer are due to overuse.
Some of the most common sports injuries occur to muscles, tendons (which connect our muscles to our bones) and ligaments (which connect our bones together). And the most frequent sports injuries are usually sprains (ligament injury) and strains (muscle injury) caused when an abnormal amount of stress is placed on tendons, joints, bones and muscle.
So as an active adult, how do you avoid sports injuries? While there's no simple answer, there are several steps you can take to reduce your risk of a ligament or tendon injury no matter what sport or activity you choose:
1. Strengthen your muscles - and not just the muscles you “think” you use in your sport. A balanced conditioning program exercises the entire body, so the proper muscles, tendons and ligaments support every movement you make. For example, in Basketball, it’s not just the lower body muscles that are used; building a strong core and upper body will not only help you avoid a tendon or ligament injury, but also add more power and control to your game.
2. Increase your flexibility - Stretching both before and after activity is vital to improving your flexibility and keeping your body in proper shape for activity. As with strength training, stretching should cover all parts of the body, with an emphasis on the muscle groups being used for your sport. Without proper stretching, tendon and ligament injury can occur more frequently.
And be sure to relax while stretching to not only perform your stretches properly but also to be sure not to hurt yourself. While stretching, breathe in a normal, calm and relaxed fashion - holding your breath means you’re tense and that defeats the whole purpose of stretching, which is to relax your muscles and prepare them for activity. A routine stretching regimen is a great way to reduce your risk of sports injury.
3. Use the proper technique - No matter what sport you play, if your body is not moving in the proper form, you’re putting yourself at a higher risk for a sports injury. Proper sports biomechanics are crucial to not only performing at a high level, but also to make sure the body is moving properly and all of the joints and muscles are in alignment. For example, if you adjusted your golf swing to keep from slicing, but it put tremendous strain on your lower back, the likelihood of developing long-term sports injuries is high. Developing a tendon or ligament injury is not worth a few extra strokes!
4. Wear the proper equipment - and make sure it fits you. If you're involved in a contact sport, you should wear the appropriate and properly fitted protective gear, including upper and lower body pads, a helmet, mouthpiece, face shield and/or eyewear. And always be aware that protective gear will not protect you from performing more dangerous or risky activities. Proper protective gear is one of the easiest things you can do to prevent sports injuries.
5. Take some time off - It's smart to have at least one day off per week to allow the body time to recover. Many sports injuries occur when your body is tired and you're continuing to push hard, so giving your ligaments, tendons and muscles the time to rest and recharge is crucial to avoiding sports injuries.
6. Stop your activity if you feel pain- The idea of “playing through pain” may work for professional athletes, but it’s not so smart for weekend warriors and active adults. If you feel recurring pain in a joint area or muscle, take time off from your sport and let your body heal. Visit a professional who can provide an accurate analysis and diagnosis of what may be causing the pain, and offer solutions that are best suited for your body, activity level and performance goals.
Resource Box:
For more information on how you can prevent sports injury and improve your performance, visit the Bauerfeind Performance Center in Santa Monica, CA. The new Bauerfeind Performance Center is helping athletes raise their potential throughout the Los Angeles area. Discover more tips at http://www.raisingyourpotential.com.
Showing posts with label ankle sprain. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ankle sprain. Show all posts
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Maintain Your Exercise Routine with Nine Training Tips
At the Bauerfeind Performance Center
Training Tips that help you stay motivated can keep you active and healthy for many years. The more you learn about how your body works and how to stick with an exercise plan, the sooner you will see results and greater benefits. And those tangible results are often the greatest motivator of all.
Here are some basic training tips to keep you on course with your exercise plan and your journey toward a healthy, active and pain-free life…
Training Tip #1: Set Achievable Goals
Having personal goals is great for motivation; whether it's to lose ten pounds before the summer or race in your first marathon, goals give us a tangible target to aim for. But to really see progress, it’s important to break your goals down into smaller more manageable chunks, and reward yourself each time you reach a target in your exercise plan.
Training Tip #2: Monitor Your Progress
Many people keep a training log or journal as a way to track progress in their exercise routine. It is also a great motivator on the days when you are not feeling like sticking to the exercise plan. A fitness journal will remind you of your efforts to date and encourage you to not let all that valuable time and energy you’ve put in go to waste.
Training Tip #3: Exercise with a Partner
Having a partner to join you in your exercise routine is a fantastic motivator. It's more fun to workout with a friend, he or she often helps to push you, and on days when you just don't feel like sticking to the exercise plan, it's much harder to bail out knowing that someone else is depending on you.
Training Tip #4: Play Your Favorite Music
If you enjoy listening to music, using it as part of your exercise routine can be a huge boost. Research has shown that listening to music while exercising can help you push harder and enjoy your workout more. With all of the great technology and portable gadgets available today, there are dozens of options to play music during your exercise routine. Create your own fitness playlist and tune-in to whatever sounds get you moving.
Training Tip #5: Visualize Your Success
One of the secrets elite athletes use is visualizing themselves achieving success, winning races, etc. Their mind then directs their behavior towards achieving those goals. Picture yourself the way you want to be - how you’ll look when you've lost ten pounds, how it feels to finish your first marathon, etc. Visualize this when you wake up in the morning, throughout the day, and just before you fall asleep at night. By training your body through the mind, you'll soon be on your way to realizing that vision.
Training Tip #6: Make Exercise a Part of Your Daily Life
You wake up, you get dressed, you eat, you go to work, you exercise. Make your exercise plan a part of your weekly schedule rather than something you squeeze in if you have the time. But if you do miss a day in your exercise routine…
Training Tip #7: Don't Feel Guilty
If you miss a workout, don't stress out - it happens to everyone. We all lead busy lives and sometimes have higher priorities to deal with on a given day. Simply get back into your exercise program the next day or as soon as you can. However, if you find yourself regularly missing days in your exercise routine, then take a step back to figure out why: Are the times inconvenient? Have you set unrealistic goals? Have you chosen fitness activities you really don't enjoy? Sometimes a simple change to your exercise plan is all it takes to get you back on track with your exercise routine.
Training Tip #8: Add Variety To Your Program
It’s common for even the most active people to get bored with their chosen fitness activity. Putting some variety in your exercise plan not only makes it more fun, but also works different parts of the body so you progress faster. Do a variety of workouts and activities to keep your mind and your body fresh.
Training Tip #9: Do Something - Anything!
Every little bit helps, so even if you don't have time for an hour's workout at the end of the day, you can find ways to fit things in throughout the day: Walk or bike to work, take the stairs instead of the elevator, stretch at your desk, etc. If your goal is to exercise at least three times per week, just remember that even going twice a week is infinitely better than not going at all.
Finding the perfect balance of what you enjoy, what gives you the best health benefits and puts the least amount of wear-and-tear on your body, is the goal of your exercise plan. And staying excited and motivated to be healthy is the key to making it all happen. Our motto at Bauerfeind is “Motion is Life” – now get out there and start moving!
Resource Box:
Need help working out an effectiveexercise plan? Visit us at the Bauerfeind Performance Center in Santa Monica , CA Bauerfeind Performance Center is helping athletes raise their potential throughout the Los Angeles
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