Doing a particular exercise is not easy, it requires techniques and knowledge that you must acquire to do it properly and be able to take advantage of all its benefits. On the contrary, getting injured doing any physical activity is very easy, and it can happen to anyone. In this article we will give several tips to avoid injuries when doing the sport of your choice and being healthier for you.
How to avoid injuries when practicing sports?
Do warm-up
First you need to heat up . The warm-up prepares the body and mind for exercise, and brings many benefits, such as: greater oxygenation of the muscles, greater flexibility (if stretching is included), and greater relaxation and concentration. The warm-up depends on the intensity and type of exercise to be performed afterwards, but generally speaking, it can include light jogging and some resistance exercises. This stage should last at least 15 minutes.
Rest several days a week
On the other hand, it is important that you rest and learn to respect your days off from exercise. Your body needs at least 2 days a week to rest and recover. Daniel Martínez Silván, physiotherapist of the Board of Directors of the Spanish Society of Traumatology in Sports, indicates the importance of rest between workouts: “Don’t be afraid to rest for long periods of time if necessary: the body cannot be constantly performing at its best. , even professional runners rest 3-4 weeks a year ”, he mentions.
Ask for advice
To train well you must know how to do it correctly, so it is recommended that you perform the exercises under the guidance of an expert, be it a trainer in the gym or specialized in your specific sport. In this way you will get the best performance with the least risk of injuring yourself or not performing the exercise well.
Use the right equipment
You must also wear the appropriate equipment for the sport you are doing. The shoes must adapt to the shape of your feet, so that they support your body in the correct way when exercising. There are special shoes for each type of sport, and not only that, but the different shapes of the shoes also depend on the way you run and exercise. If you don’t know which shoes are right for you, go to a sports store and ask for advice. If you do a sport in which you need any other specialized or protective equipment, do not forget to use it to avoid injuring yourself.
Eat a healthy diet
Exercise itself is not everything, nutrition is one of the most important factors for good workouts that really have a flattering effect on your body. Eating the right foods before and after each session will help you to provide your body with the necessary energy to perform the exercise and to recover after the effort you have made. You can also consult a nutritionist to adapt your diet to your needs, depending on the days of the week you exercise, its intensity and the calories you burn during the week.
Do not overload
Don’t push yourself more than you should. Learn to listen to your body , little by little you will learn what your limits are. When you feel like you should stop, do it. If you haven’t exercised for a while, start slowly and gradually increase the intensity. Over training by setting unrealistic goals will only lead to injury and frustration.
Hydrate enough
Remember to hydrate yourself . Sometimes you are so immersed in training that you forget how important it is to stay hydrated. When you exercise you sweat, and you lose water and electrolytes, and to avoid dehydration, muscle injury, cramps and feeling bad, you should drink water when doing long exercises and when it is very hot. Water is much better than any sports drink, so try to hydrate only with water. The times to drink water are every 30 minutes and at the end of the exercise.
At the end of the exercise, the cool-down stage is important, which should last approximately 15 minutes. It consists of doing a gentle activity such as walking to stretch the muscles used during exercise and improve flexibility, which will help you avoid injuring yourself.
Avoid playing sports when you are very tired
Avoid playing when you are very tired or in pain. This is a factor in most injuries that occur in sport. Pain indicates that there is a problem, so you should pay attention to the warning signs that your body provides.
Factors that increase the risk of injury in sport
There are two factors that stand out when it comes to sports injuries. These are:
- Have a history of injury: Previous injuries to a muscle or joint tend to become chronic problem areas for many athletes. It is extremely important to warm up and stretch the previously injured parts.
- Days in a row of training without rest: Recovery days reduce injury rates by giving muscles and connective tissues a chance to repair themselves between training sessions.
The last tip is: enjoy! There is nothing better than exercising because you want to and because you like it. By doing it for this reason, you will be able to get the best out of the sport. Sport has many benefits, but over-demanding yourself at the cost of your health solely to improve your performance can seriously harm you.
References
- Huffington Post. Retrieved June 02, 2019
