Top 10 Ways to Prevent Sports Injury
1. Don’t bend your knees past 90 degrees when performing half knee bends.
2. Keep your feet as flat as possible during stretches to minimize twisting your knees.
3. Always land with your knees bent when jumping or landing from a jump.
The knee is the most frequently injured joint. Take extra precautions when exercising to keep your knees healthy.
4. Always perform warm up exercises, not only for vigorous sports like basketball, but also for less vigorous sports.
Warming up the body is an excellent preventative measure everyone should make.
5. Simply enough, don’t overdo it.
Know your limits and work up to new goals in small increments to prevent sports injury.
6. Stretch before any activity. Especially stretch areas prone to sports injury such as hamstrings, quadriceps and the achilles tendon. Hold stretches for ten to thirty seconds and never bounce while stretching.
Always use proper techniques while stretching. If you are unsure on how to stretch properly, consult a stretching resource or physical fitness trainer.
7. Always cool down after exerting yourself, for instance, after a race.
Cool down by walking or jogging lightly for five minutes to allow the body to cool down slowly and for your pulse to slow down gradually.
8. Always wear appropriate athletic shoes that are properly fitted and offer effective stability and shock absorption for the particular activity.
Improperly fitted shoes greatly increase the chances of injuring your feet, ankles, knees, legs and hips. Try different brands to find the right shoe and don’t let style and appearance sway your decision regarding finding a good fit.
9. When running, always run on the softest surface possible. If there is a choice, always run on dirt, gravel or aggregate as opposed to harder surfaces like concrete and asphalt.
Running on hard surfaces as well as up and down hills places additional stress on the joints and soft tissues in your legs.
10. Use appropriate equipment that is well maintained and, if necessary, fitted to your body.
Sports injury can be the result of faulty equipment. Always make sure the equipment used is safe and properly set up. Above all, be safe and aware of potential dangers to prevent sports injury. If you get injured, always seek treatment from an experienced and licensed sports injury doctor.