Even if you show up with the correct gear and keep yourself in great shape, there’s always the chance of injury becomes sports are physically demanding. Whether you’re playing baseball, soccer, football, or another favorite sport, strains, sprains, pulled muscles, and other types of sports injury can occur. If you’re injured, you may require treatment from a medical professional that specializes in sports medicine. However, you can take measures to prevent injuries so you can avoid injury and a visit to our Pasadena orthopedics office.
Strains and Sprains
Multiple injuries end up in this category, including strained groin muscles and hamstrings and sprained ankles and knees. Facing this type of sports injury is most common if you play sports that involve stopping and starting fast or jumping and running. The best ways to prevent strains and sprains is to strengthen key muscles and practice flexibility. Flexibility training helps prepare your muscles for anything, so you’re less likely to end up with a sprain or strain.
Fractures
When playing sports like football, where there’s a lot of physical contact, fractures are fairly common. Although many of these accidents are tough to avoid, a proper diet that includes plenty of calcium and vitamin D can strengthen your bones. Weight training also helps, strengthening the muscles so they can absorb more shock, as well as strengthening the bones.
Knee Injuries
Knee injuries are common in sports that require quick changes in direction, and they’re commonly seen in football, basketball, and soccer players. This type of sports injury has the potential to ruin your entire season, even when you’re treated by the best sports medicine professionals around. The best thing you can do to prevent these types of injuries is to strengthen the glutes, quads, and hamstrings.
Shin Splints
Increasing workout intensity or trying a new sport that requires a lot of running can leave you with shin splints. Shin splints are characterized by pain that occurs inside the shin, which is caused by inflammation of the muscle that surrounds that bone. While wearing the right shoes can help prevent them, it’s also essential to stretch calf muscles and strengthen your foot muscles to prevent shin splints.
Achilles Tendinitis or Tear
The Achilles tendon, which is located on the back of the ankle, has the potential to become inflamed and painful due to overuse, causing a lot of pain. Achilles tears may occur while engaged in sports, too. To prevent Achilles tendinitis, make sure you’re engaging in good flexibility and strengthening programs. Working calf muscles and strengthening hip flexors can help strengthen the Achilles tendon indirectly, so it moves more easily, preventing injury.
Preventing a sports injury is the best way to avoid weeks or months of pain and suffering. Stretching, warming up, and strengthening other parts of the body are key to prevention. Unfortunately, no matter how much you train and try to stay in great shape, sports still may take a toll on the body and result in injury. If you sustain a sports injury, quick treatment is key to getting back to your game as fast as possible. We specialize in sports medicine, so if you’ve been injured by playing sports, contact your Pasadena orthopedics office today to set up an appointment with our specialists.