TIPS FOR AVOIDING SPORTS INJURIES School is almost back in session and with a new school year comes a new season for sports! Whether your kids play for their school team or an extracurricular rec team, there is always the risk of an injury. Some are fairly minor, such as scrapes and bruises, but some can be serious enough to need medical intervention. Here is a collection of tips that can help keep your kids playing the game they love rather than watching from the sidelines: 1. Get a preseason physical. Make an appointment with your child’s pediatrician to get a thorough sports physical before the season starts. A sports physical can assess any areas that may be a concern for your young athlete, and in turn keep them from exasperating any conditions that may need to be treated. 2. Emphasize the importance of warm-ups. Stretching is important to loosen muscle fibers and increase blood flow to the area. A mix of both static stretches (such as toe touches) and dynamic stretches (such as high-knees) will get your athlete ready to hit the field. 3. Make Sure they are getting enough rest. Muscle fatigue predisposes an athlete to injury, so sleep is critical for your body to restore and rebuild muscle fibers. Make sure your child is also taking a season “off,” as overuse injuries are the most common injuries seen in young athletes. 4. Make sure they are hydrating! Heat-related illnesses, such as heat exhaustion and heat stroke, are a real concern for anyone exercising outside, especially on hot and humid days. Make sure your child is adequately hydrating before, during, and after activity. 5. Make sure they are eating a healthy, well- balanced diet. It is important for athletes to fuel up correctly with a diet that consists of whole foods such as fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins. Be sure to make time for breakfast, too! Even when following tips and guidelines to the letter, injuries can unfortunately still occur. Be sure to tell your young athlete that the old saying “no pain, no gain” doesn’t apply when it comes to actual injuries. Playing through pain can lead to further damage and a longer healing time, so it is important to address any nagging pains or acute injuries before they turn into something more serious. Your physical therapy team at Blue Sky PT can help create a plan to treat and prevent injuries by promoting strength training and proper form. Call us today to see how we can help your child succeed this season!
Overcoming and Preventing Tendinitis (Continued from outside) While the average person may engage in standard physical tasks such as walking or typing, an athlete takes that repetitive behavior to a new level. Consider a tennis player, for example. In addition to running and jumping, a skilled tennis player will spend hours every week swinging the racket, and this could result in added wear and tear on the elbows and wrists, not to mention the shoulders. Every bone in the body is connected with muscular fibers called tendons. The tendons are flexible, allowing the body to move more freely by letting bones stretch apart or move in one direction or another. Tendinitis occurs when the tendons become inflamed. Swelling in the tendons can make movement painful and difficult. Typically, when pain is caused as a result of tendinitis, the pain is isolated at the noted areas of the body. This means that a tennis player may experience tendinitis in the elbow or shoulder, whereas a runner may be more likely to experience it in the Achilles tendon. In fact, this is why tendinitis in the elbow is frequently referred to as tennis elbow, while Achilles tendinitis is sometimes referred to as runner’s ankles or runner’s heels. Treating tendinitis The best treatment for tendinitis is time. Unfortunately, this is something that many people are unable to give to an injury. When tendinitis develops, the best thing to do is to use ice and to relax that part of the body. Taking a few days off from practice or away from your workout may be sufficient, but in other cases, this may require a few days in a wheelchair or on crutches, with the bulk of your weight off of the affected area. Working with a physical therapist can help you identify the best treatment methods for tendinitis. Your physical therapist can also help you identify the best range of motion and strength-building activities to reduce your likelihood of developing tendinitis. For more information about preventing or treating pain from tendinitis, contact us today!
Exercise Essentials
VISIT OUR WEBSITE FOR EXERCISE VIDEOS! Our website has a number of exercise how-tos that can be incorporated in your at-home workout routine! Visit us at: blueskypt.com/video-exercises/ for access to our FREE fitness videos!
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