Prevent sports injuries: tips to avoid them
What are sports injuries and why do they occur?
We have all suffered some type of sports injury at some point in our lives. And it is that, in fact, there is a wide diversity of factors and causes that can directly influence that we injure ourselves when we are practicing some kind of physical exercise. In turn, there are different types of injuries that are classified according to where the damage may have appeared.
Basically we could define the sports injury as that injury that occurs during the practice of a sport or during the practice of physical exercise. In most cases this type of injury occurs completely accidentally. Although it is also true that some injuries can occur as a result of bad sports practices, or due to the inadequate use of the training equipment that we are using.
What factors influence sports injuries?
Although the risk factors that can influence that we suffer certain injuries during sports are usually divided into predisposing, extrinsic and principantes, the truth is that in most cases are ultimately a series of causes or factors or less frequent. In addition, if there are more factors in the same person it is evident that the chances of a lesion appearing will be higher:
- Inadequate or no physical preparation. Either because it is not heated or stretched properly.
- Lack of stretching Either by having stretched an insufficient time, with inadequate intensity.
- Fatigue. Especially when there is physical tiredness, sleep or psychic stress.
- For the use of inappropriate shoes.
- Because of the characteristics of the sport that is practiced.
- For an overexertion or bad sports gesture.
- For injuries and previous injuries that have not healed well.
How to avoid sports injuries
1. The importance of stretching
First of all we must always do stretches both before and after exercising. In this way we help our muscles adapt, recover and grow gradually, since the previous muscle warming makes our muscles more flexible and, therefore, more resistant to injuries.
Properly performed stretching helps, above all, in improving the flexibility of our muscles and joints, which helps in a powerful way to avoid typical muscle injuries as a result of improper stretching in time and intensity.
To do it correctly, it is advisable to do a gentle and slow stretching, reaching the point of maximum tension and also keeping the tip or articulation stretched for at least 30 seconds. You should not feel pain, but a feeling of maximum stretch.
2. Avoid overstepping the limits when practicing exercise or sport
As you know, our body has a certain limit, and we know when we get to it because we tend to feel tired; the ideal is not to exceed this natural limit, since exceeding it implies a situation of really high danger in which sporting injuries can appear.
That is to say, it is not appropriate to make more effort than we should, and stop practicing the physical exercise or sport that we are following if we feel tired or our joints begin to hurt.
In exercise, and in sport, it is very important listen to our body, which will help us know when we should stop and not continue.
3. Uses proper training equipment and footwear
Did you know that most sports injuries are caused by the use of unsuitable footwear? How many times have we seen a person practicing physical exercise (especially running or jogging), and we see that he does it with uncomfortable clothes and with a type of footwear that is in fact inadequate.
The key is, therefore, in trying to use shoes suitable for the type of physical exercise that we are going to do. Thus, the most appropriate are those that adapt to the shape of our feet. In fact, there are sneakers that adapt even to our way of walking.
If you have any doubts about which type of footwear to choose, you can ask a sales person at the specialized sports store where you can buy the shoes, and ask for help and advice.
4. Be patient if it is the first time you practice it, or if you have not done it for a long time
Whether it is a new type of exercise or sport, in which you have no experience, or if you have not played sports for a long time, the key is to start slowly, without forcing ourselves at the beginning and avoiding that the duration of the exercise is high.
As you can imagine, the key is to stretch well, warm up, practice the exercise slowly and without haste, and also increase the intensity gradually.In this way we will avoid unnecessary jerks and reduce the risk of injury.
5. Other useful tips that will help you
Attend to the need of if we have to use knee pads, elbow pads, wrist guards or a belt to protect the lower back, while observing those alert mechanisms of the body that may appear is vital, such as tugs or pain itself. Yes, and rest when we feel exhausted. This article is published for informational purposes only. It can not and should not replace the consultation with a Physician. We advise you to consult your Trusted Doctor. ThemesExercise Sports injuries
