TIPS FOR PREVENTING AVOIDABLE INJURIES WITH PHYSICAL ACTIVITY
HOW CAN I PREVENT THESE INJURIES? While it is always a wise decision to consult with a physical therapist, there are some tips you can implement into your personal life as well, in order to decrease your risk of sustaining an injury. These include: • Stretching. This is one of the most important ways to prevent injuries. Your tissues require water in order to be elastic, and stretching helps to bring water into the tissues. This increases muscle flexibility and prevents them from becoming stiff or tight, thus decreasing the chances of them over-stretching and/or tearing. • Hydrating and eating nutritious meals. Did you know that your body is over 70% water? Because of this, it requires water in order to remain supple and function properly. Without adequate water and nutrition, your body’s tissues are more prone to over-stretching and injury. Make sure you drink the recommended 8 glasses of water a day. • Staying within your abilities. It is important to train and practice for any physical activity you’d like to try. Start small in the beginning and build up from there. When you push your body past its current limits, you make yourself more prone to injuries because your body is not prepared for the physical demands being asked of it. • Using the proper equipment. When engaging in any type of physical activity, it is important to make sure you have the right equipment. For example, running shoes, hiking boots, helmets, and more can help you avoid injury and stay safe while doing the activities you enjoy. WHAT SHOULD I DO NOW? If you are suffering from aches and pains, you think you may have sustained an injury, or you’d like to learn more about injury prevention, contact Kewanee Physical Therapy and Rehab Specialists today.
Nomatter what type of physical activity you partake in, it is possible for injuries to occur. Whether you enjoy taking walks at night, playing sports on the weekends, or training for athletic trials throughout the week, it is important to make sure you are always being as safe as possible. WHAT ARE SOME COMMON INJURIES? At Kewanee Physical Therapy and Rehab Specialists, our licensed physical therapists can guide you through proper exercises, stretches, movements, and body control, in order to prevent future injuries from occurring. Many injuries occur due to improper techniques or overexerting your body. Some of the most commonly sustained injuries include sprains, strains, and tendinitis. Many people think “sprains” and “strains” are synonymous; however, they have one distinct difference. Sprains occur when a ligament is stretched beyond its limits or torn, while strains occur when a tendon is stretched beyond its limits or torn. Tendons are tissues that connect muscles to bones, and ligaments are tissues that connect bones to one another. Sprains and strains can both range from mild to severe, and even mild ones may take up to 6 weeks to heal. When they become more severe, braces or surgical correction may be necessary. This will require a longer recovery time, up to 8 weeks or longer, and physical therapy treatments will likely be prescribed. It is important to note that it is in your best interest to have a physical therapist make sure a sprain or strain is fully healed before returning to your normal level of physical activity, as it is common for old sprains and strains to develop again in the future if they have not been properly rehabilitated. Tendinitis is an overuse injury that causes the tendons to become inflamed. There are several reasons why tendinitis may occur, but whatever the case may be, we know that it has developed as a result of unnecessary amounts of strain. Tendinitis can be corrected with physical therapy treatments, since PTs are trained in relieving pain, decreasing inflammation, and restoring you to your normal posture, motion, and function.
www. kptrs.com
KEWANEE (309) 852-2200
GALVA (309) 932-8100
STARK COUNTY (309) 695-4010
Made with FlippingBook Publishing Software