At Top Doctors we are concerned about the physical condition of our patients and we remember the importance of sport to avoid sedentary lifestyles. However, we are aware that there is a risk of injury every time we practice sport, either alone or together. That is why we would like to offer all our readers a series of tips that will be useful to avoid sports injuries.
- Importance of warm-up and cool down: it is important to prepare the body before any sport, with activation exercises of large muscle groups such as jogging, skipping, contraskipping, exercises such as abdominal plank, dynamic stretching and similar are recommended before starting the physical activity, in order to warn the muscles and joints of the physical activity that we are going to start. As for the term “cool down”, it refers to stretching after performing the chosen physical activity. A gradual return to a state of rest is recommended, including stretching and progressive slowing down until you return to complete rest.
- Carrying the right equipment for each sport: from shoes to sports shirts, all equipment is important when it comes to physical exercise. For example, it is not advisable to go running in soccer boots or play basketball in climbing shoes. If you choose a sport that you are going to practice frequently, it is worth investing in the necessary equipment, but be careful, it does not always have to be the most expensive.
- The great importance of technique: when practicing sports we must be aware that technique can prevent injuries and reduce the severity of these, if they occur. It is important to correct and improve the actions we perform during any sport, as well as to strengthen the muscles that we will use the most during physical exercise. Sometimes we will need the help of a professional to advise us on how to perform some gestures in order to avoid injuries.
- Knowing our limits: we must be able to know when we are pushing our body to the limit, because overtraining can decrease its effectiveness and increase the risk of injury. It is recommended that at the first symptom of pain or feeling that something is not working properly in our body we stop exercising, since identifying an injury in time can be essential in its recovery.
- Eating and hydrating properly: another very important aspect is to have a balanced diet, ingesting the necessary nutrients so that the body has energy and is able to withstand high intensity exercise and recover in the best possible way. On the other hand, hydration allows us to make an effort for a long time and reduces the risk of injury by making the tissues elastic and flexible as long as we maintain a good level of hydration.
- Rest: during rest, the body recovers and takes advantage of the effects of physical activity. There is no better prevention against injuries than a good night’s rest and respecting the rest days between workouts. On the other hand, stress can be the worst ally as it increases the risk of injury. In conclusion, a good rest and a stress-free lifestyle are essential to avoid injuries.
- Integral training: when it comes to exercise, we must strengthen as much as possible all our musculature, that is to say, perform preparation exercises for more sensitive areas such as the knee or ankle. In other words, if you are going to go running, don’t forget to work your muscles and if you are going to do weight training, don’t forget flexibility and aerobic exercise.
- Monitor your heart rate at all times: with the help of a heart rate monitor you can monitor your heart rate, which will accelerate according to the intensity of your exercise. It is advisable to maintain a stable heart rate without major changes.
- Perform low-intensity sports in some cases: In case you have a sedentary lifestyle and want to start practicing sports, do it little by little. You can start with a bike ride or swimming. In this type of activity you will be autonomous and you will be able to set the physical intensity. As you change your lifestyle you can increase the physical level and do other more intense sports.
From Top Doctors we recommend doing sports to leave aside the sedentary life and move to a more active life. On the other hand, we remind you that Top Doctors has a select group of doctors who will be able to help any patient who suffers any injury or unforeseen event during the performance of any sport or physical exercise.