When it comes to injury prevention there’s no magic cure, but hard work and taking the right precautions will ensure you have the best possible chance of preventing possible injuries. Many athletes can prevent injury by taking more effort and time with their warm up. It’s imperative that in any sport, an athlete does a long and thorough warm up in order to prevent muscle strains and tears. Over the last few years it has been found that kinetic (moving) stretches are far more superior at preventing injuries to static stretching prior to an athletic event. Static (still) stretching should be done after an athletic event has ended. Ice is also warranted after an event if any swelling or suspected injury has occurred.
Another reason athletes often pick up injuries is due to over-training and under-training specific muscles. Training antagonistic muscle groups is vital in preventing injuries. In the pursuit of better performance, athletes will often push their body too far which will only lead to injuries and problems. To prevent this from happening, athletes should take adequate rest and recuperation periods between training and be sensible with what they include in their workouts. Strength training antagonistic muscle groups or non-sport specific muscles is key in joint stabilization and total body symmetry of an athletes posture.
Poor technique is another factor that can cause injury. To prevent these unnecessary injuries, athletes should always be sure that they have good technique, whether that is the way they swing a golf club or the way they kick a football. With a better technique, it’s less likely that an athlete will put excessive strain on their muscles, joints, and ligaments.
We have much more information on injury prevention with specific references to individual sports. Call Dr. Owens at Chiropractic Athletic Center 717-767-4151.