Prevention and Treatment of Common Sports Injuries
Did you know that sports injuries can jeopardize your career or free-time activity? Physical activities boost our immune system and mood, but they come with a certain degree of risk. One of the worst things that can happen to you while doing sports is an injury. However, you have to keep in mind that they are common.
To avoid some of the most common sports injuries, you’ll need to know how to prevent them. On the other hand, no matter how careful you are, accidents happen. Therefore, adequate treatment may be your only option. So, what are the most frequent injuries and how to treat them?
1. Shoulder injury
Whether you’re doing bodyweight or weight lifting exercises, shoulders and neck are the most important body parts to look after. Shoulder allocation or sprains can be really unpleasant injuries to deal with. However, it can be prevented by adequately warming up your upper body before exercising.
Believe it or not, medical professionals claim that shoulders are one of the weakest joints in our bodies. Besides exercises, they endure a lot of daily stress. Lack of strength and flexibility leads to some of the most common shoulder injuries. In cases like these, apply an ice pack to the problematic area.
2. Pulled muscle
Different strains and pulls are quite common injuries even if you’re not doing any strenuous physical activity. Something simple, like walking or climbing the stairs can cause these types of injuries. This is what makes them annoying. They can’t do any serious harm to your body, however, pulled muscles make any physical movement unpleasant and hurtful.
Luckily, an injury like this doesn’t require any special medical attention. All you need to do is properly rest until the pain goes away. Don’t forget the prevention. Properly stretching before and after each exercise can minimise the chance of pulling your muscles or getting your hamstrings strained.
3. Sciatica
Do you feel tingling and numbness in your lower back, legs and feet? Chances are you have sciatica. It’s a lower back injury that can affect your entire lower half of the body, which makes it hard to endure. Some sports, such as cycling and tennis, carry more risk of getting this injury, due to the posture of your body. So, what can you do to prevent and treat it?
Work on the flexibility of your lower back. Make sure you don’t lift any hard things off the floor. If an injury does happen, you can do some sciatica pain-relieving exercises. Visit your doctor if the tingling or pain persist for a longer time.
4. Shin splints
Are you keen on running, jogging or other similar sports? Then you surely know how tough it may be to get your shin splint. It’s a pain that commonly occurs on the shin bone in your leg. How can you avoid this troubling injury?
One of the first things you need to take into consideration is the trainers you’re wearing. They need to be comfortable and adequate for the type of sport you’re doing. If the injury does happen, the first step is to elevate your leg, rest and apply ice. To get back to the training, make sure to get a reliable sports physiotherapy that will help you heal your injury and get you back on your feet. Renowned physiotherapists from Canberra emphasize the need to gradually increase the activity once you start training again.
5. Ankle sprains
Even light physical activity, such as walking, can lead to ankle sprain injuries. Jumping, running, turning and walking on the uneven terrain can also cause this type of the injury. Whether you’re young or old, a professional athlete or a fitness enthusiast, an ankle sprain can happen no matter how careful you are. Is there a way to prevent this?
One of the best ways to minimise the chances of spraining your ankle is by strengthening them. Do various exercises that can help you strengthen your weak ankles and wear adequate shoes and trainers whenever you’re doing physical activity. If the injury does happen, rest, elevate and put ice to your hurt ankle.
Conclusion
These are only some of the most common injuries fitness enthusiasts and professional sportsmen face. If you want to prevent them from happening, make sure to wear adequate shoes and warm up your body before indulging in physical activity. Take time to rest and consult professionals if the pain doesn’t go away.