How to avoid early season sports injuries

Playing sports is a great way to stay or get in shape, reduce stress, and make friends. But, an early-season injury can land you on the sidelines. If you want to enjoy the season to the fullest, take these five tips to heart and put them in practice.

Tip #1:  Wear the appropriate protective gear for your sport.
This seems simple enough, but surprisingly enough, lots of folks take shortcuts when it comes to
equipment. Make sure you have all the required gear and that it fits properly. When in doubt, seek help at your local sports store and get fitted. This piece of advice is particularly important for kids who grow at a rapid pace. Last year's gear is not likely going to fit.

Tip #2:  Be sure to warm up and cool down.
Our bodies need time to transition from one activity to the next. If you jump into a high-gear practice
without any warm up, you're more likely to tear, strain, or injure your muscles and joints. Take five minutes to do a light jog and then another five minutes to do some simple stretches, just to get everything loosened up. When practice, or a game for that matter, is over, a cool down is equally important. Another five-minute jog will help to calm your muscles down.

Tip #3:  Know the rules of the game.
Just as you study the rules of the road before taking your driver's test, you should study up about your sport, so you know what you're getting into and what will be expected of your body. Also, this will help you from accidentally injuring someone else by being in the wrong place or performing an illegal block or check. Rules are in place primarily for safety, so it's good to be current in your sport.

Tip #4:  Keep an eye out for others.
Every sport has its own unique set of plays that dictate how and where players can move. For instance, in softball or baseball, a batter cannot fling his/her bat because doing so would be dangerous for the catcher, the umpire, and anyone else who might be in the way. This same principle holds true in other sports, too, and the best way to help avoid unwanted contact is to communicate. Shout out to your teammates when you're going for the ball, passing on your left, open to receive a pass, etc.

Tip #5:  Don't play when you're injured.
As tempting as it can be, please don't play when you're injured. Many people struggle with this because they don't want to miss the excitement of the game or practice, or they don't want to let the team down. But, what's worse? Taking time off to heal or getting injured worse and jeopardizing the rest of the season? Everyone would rather see you take a brief break than a permanent seat on the sidelines. But, what if you do get injured? Come see us at Pure Life Chiropractic! We can help assess the severity of your injury and recommend an appropriate course of treatment. Call 541-343-5633 to schedule an appointment today.