You can effectively prevent sports injuries with these 6 tips
Overload and fatigue, incorrect movement and sometimes just bad luck. Every year, millions of athletes suffer sports injuries. And that even in supposedly healthy sports.Many of these injuries could be avoided by following these 6 tips:
It can happen from one second to the next
Even a slight wrong movement can be enough to get a sports injury. Sometimes you can’t help it, but many injuries can be avoided. It is vital to listen to your body. Because in what is actually a healthy fitness workout, fatigue or overload is often to blame. It has been proven that millions of injuries can be avoided with easy-to-implement tips.
1. Accept your limits
In the case of injuries caused by outside influence, one is usually powerless. But numerous sports injuries also occur because people do not know their limits. This is especially true for beginners and overly ambitious athletes. But also for all those who are already well trained and want to try something new. Therefore, it is crucial to know and accept your actual condition. Performance diagnostic tests, which you can also do yourself, can help. In strength training, for example, this can be a regular maximum strength test. It is also important to slowly get used to new loads and always listen to your body’s signals.
2. Get to know your body
Another widespread reason for sports injuries is muscular imbalances. These occur fast if you train one-sided or only pay attention to your muscles, which are already strong. The most common imbalances occur between the back and abdominal muscles and between the front and back of the thighs. For example, tennis and handball players usually have a much stronger hitting or throwing hand side. Of course, it is ideal to have existing imbalances determined by a physiotherapist. But most players know their best side and should definitely train the weaker side as well.
3. Do not skip the warm-up
Although actually known, far too many athletes still exercise without an excellent warm-up program. Numerous studies prove that sensible warming up can significantly reduce the risk of injury. Even a few minutes can be enough. Low-intensity movements typical of the sport are perfect for getting the body up to operating temperature. Loosely executed dynamic stretching exercises are also a great preventive measure.
4. Train the whole body
Maybe you want a six-pack, toned arms, or a tight butt. Of course, you can do special exercises for that, but don’t neglect the other muscles of your body. In our body, everything is connected in one way or another. In this context, we also talk about the tensegrity model. And any one-sided training carries the risk of muscular imbalances – see tip 3. So if you train, then do it as versatile as possible. This not only looks better, but it also protects you from sports injuries.
5. Listen to the signals of your body
Our body is our friend. We should not forget that. Because if we move wrong or strain ourselves too much, he reacts with more or less intense pain to word. Actually, for us, the sign of responding. But unfortunately, we ignore these problems all too often. Some even prefer to swallow painkillers rather than trying to figure out what might be wrong. The best countermeasure: Listen to your body. Take even minor problems seriously and try to find out why they occur. Sometimes it’s overload, sometimes it’s incorrect movement, sometimes it’s the wrong shoes.
The role of the equipment
It doesn’t necessarily have to be the latest, but the right equipment can also help prevent sports injuries. This is especially true for runners. You need good running shoes that fit your anatomy. Those who run regularly and a lot should seek professional advice. Clothing should be adapted to the outside temperatures. You can find more about this here.