Athletes and sportsmen/ women are always subject to injuries; it is part of the job description. No matter how perfect the jump, how fast the sprint and how smooth the bowl, sports injuries can occur any time, any day. Not only are they debilitating because they take you out of the playing field, they can also leave lasting impressions in the form of permanent disabilities and scars. Prevention is always better than cure so here are a few tips on how to avoid injuries when playing:
Get Your Body Ready to Play
Coaches and instructors drum this into players’ and performers’ minds from the start: warm up before you start, warm down before you go. The human body can handle many things, but it’s not a manual transmission car that can accelerate from 40 km per hour to 120 in a matter of seconds. The heart rate has to increase gradually to get more blood and oxygen pumping to all corners of the blood before the body is ready to handle any kind of high- pressure activity. That’s why many athletes suffer torn ligaments after incomplete warm- ups; muscles haven’t warmed and stretched enough to move fast, and tear when pressured. Same goes for leaving the track: if the body doesn’t warm down properly, the sudden shock of encountering a cooler temperature outside than inside the body will cause you to get a chill and muscles to cramp.
Don’t Ignore Your Gut Instinct
Most sportsmen/ women will instinctively feel when something is wrong with their bodies. A nagging but manageable pain somewhere, a slight dizziness or blurring of vision etc. can indicate bigger problems in your health that haven’t yet manifested fully. In such instances, first see if it’s simply soreness from training – a quick visit to a chiropractor or masseuse should suffice to determine that. If the feeling persists, hit the doctor’s office.
You know your body best, and if a thorough massage or spinal alignment by a masseuse or hire chiropractor in Leichhardt hasn’t cured your aches and pains, then whatever is wrong needs more than healing hands; it needs medication.
Take Care of Yourself
Sportspeople go through severe training regimes. They are on strict diets designed to enhance their skills and abilities through the correct proportion of nutrients. Your body may well be your meal ticket so apart from everything that is required of you to be in top form physically, also take the time to ensure your mental and emotional health. Many players ignore this aspect and go on self- indulgent binges of bad behaviour to let off steam, like drinking, partying without a limit. Alcohol and drugs not only lower inhibition, they also limit physical and mental capacity, making you more vulnerable to injuries on and off the field. Stay close to people you know who genuinely care for you and listen to them when they express worry over something; sometimes, the people watching from the outside have a better perspective than you standing in the centre.