The Most Common Sports Injuries: How to Prevent and Treat Them

With any exercise or sport, there is a risk of injury. This sometimes cannot be prevented, but there are ways to ensure we are doing things as safely as possible. Before starting a new exercise routine, it is good practice to check with your doctor that you are fit to do so, and you may want to hire a personal trainer to ensure you are holding the right posture, etc. when working out. Here are the most common sporting injuries and how you can prevent them, and if not, how you can treat them.

The Most Common Sporting Injuries

There a few injuries that tend to happen more than most for people who play sports or exercise, and this may be due to a variety of reasons. The more contact is involved in the sport, the higher the risk of an injury. Sprains and strains are usually the most commonly seen injuries in places such as the ankle or hamstring. Knees are another common area of injury, due to them being used and relied on heavily in many sports. In sports such as rugby or football, bruises, broken bones, and chipped teeth can be a regular occurrence. For more information on fixing a chipped tooth, visit healthrow.net.

Prevention of These Injuries

Not everything is preventable and accidents can happen. There are certain things we should do to try and make sure these injuries do not occur, but there is no guarantee that you can prevent an injury forever. The more you play sport or exercise, the higher the risk of suffering from one of these common injuries. Before you begin any workout, you should complete a gentle warm up, as this supplies blood to the muscles, leading to more flexibility and less chance of injury. If you’ve had a break from exercise, do not get straight back into it. It can be frustrating but take it slowly and build yourself back up to where you once were. Warming down can also help you to feel less sore the day after playing or working out. Likewise, athletes who have massages (like active release massage therapy, for example) scheduled regularly tend to achieve short- and long-term performance benefits as well as injury prevention. Apart from relief from sports injuries these massages also seem to be beneficial for pain, arthritis, bursitis, fatigue, and many other chronic conditions.

Treatment for These Injuries

The best treatment for most sporting injuries is to take a break. It can be frustrating missing out on games or on your daily exercise but getting back into it too soon can cause more damage and means you will be out for even longer. With an ankle sprain, you can still exercise, but there are certain exercises that are promoted to regain strength. Groin injuries need rest and ice to reduce pain and swelling. Knee injuries can be painful and low impact exercises are recommended. If you believe you have suffered from an ACL injury, these can be severe and need treatment. Any sports injury causing pain can be treated with painkillers too. If you are unsure, ask your doctor, as it is better to be safe than sorry.

Wearing the right equipment and working out properly can also reduce the risk of injury. Look after your body during exercise by staying hydrated and warming up!

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