Many of us want to get involved with any sports, whether it’s for competition or fitness purposes. Sport associated with a variety of exercise is generally recognized as a dominant key to keep in shape and have a healthy lifestyle.
Playing sports is fun, but getting an injury is not. Here are four necessary precautions you can follow to avoid sports injuries.
1. Avoid dehydration and overheating
It is essential to maintain fluid levels of the body whenever playing sports to prevent dehydration. You cannot regulate your body’s temperature efficiently if you are dehydrated which puts you at the right of overheating or so-called hyperthermia.
In dehydration, your blood volume is decreased, and there will be less oxygen delivered to your working muscles which may negatively affect your performance in the game.
It’s always great to start the activity with proper hydration, so you have to drink enough water before and after your sport. To make sure you are well-hydrated, you may check the color and consistency of your urine. If it’s clear and not concentrated, it means you are hydrated.
Another thing you can do to avoid overheating is to wear the right kind of clothing. There’s no advantage to exercising if you are hyperthermic. So, it’s advisable to wear clothing that is light and allows your sweat to go freely.
Never try to wear excessive clothing as it may only cause overheating. Wearing tight clothes will make you lose body fluids unreasonably.
2. Make a habit of warming up before doing some sport
Doing warmups help in minimizing the risk of having an injury. Allow your get ready for some strenuous activities. A warm-up must include some gentle aerobic exercise just like jogging or cycling for 5 to 15minutes to slowly warm your muscles. You can always adjust the time of warming up depending on how active your primary exercise or sport will be. Moreover, the intensity needs to increase until your sweat is starting to come out gradually.
Stretching is an essential part of your warm-up which helps to stimulate blood flow to your working muscles, maximizing flexibility and minimizing the possibility of having an injury or aggravating an old injury. However, keep in mind to stretch only if your muscles are already warm. Make sure to include all muscle groups that you are going to use in your sports.
A gentle cool-down period means you will experience less muscle stiffness and soreness. It also helps to remove waste products from muscles you have used during your activity, replacing them with nutrients and oxygen.
3. Set goals and know your limits
Never exhaust your body is trying to do a challenging sport. You know your body too well, so you must consider the level of the game that you are going to do. Set goals and have limits in playing to reduce the risk of having an injury.
Before going into any sport, it is suggested to get involved in any fitness activities. This is the best way to prepare your body and muscles to take some vigorous sports. Obtain an exercise program that suits your needs from a fitness specialist. If you have a family history of whatever illness, it’s highly recommended to get yourself checked first by your physician.
4. Choose the correct equipment
Regardless of what sport you play, it is essential to wear the right footwear to give sufficient support for your feet and ankles. This is particularly essential in sports wherein the occurrence of ankles and feet injury are much common. These type of sports are football and netball.
Protective equipment that helps prevent sports injury include knee and elbow pads, mouthguards, helmets, shin pads, gloves, and shin pads. Protective eyewear is also necessary when having games like squash.
