Injuries are common in youth sports and with practices becoming more rigorous and intense, kids are opting to participate in their sport year-round, but increases the chances of injuries without proper rest, nutrition and injury prevention. According to John Hopkins Medicine, some causes of sports injuries include improper training practices and improper warm-up or stretching practices. Here are three thoughts athletes should consider.
Why is stretching so important? According to the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, maintaining flexibility is important because cold muscles are more prone to injury and it’s important to get your blood circulation flowing before a big event. Stretching can improve the ability of muscles to contract and perform. Using proper technique when training is so important because it helps protect you from injury. Each stretch should start out slowly and should not be painful and should be held for at least 20 seconds. It’s important to take your time and go through the full range of motion. Whether it’s lunges, butt kicks, arm circles or running laps, warm-up techniques are essential.
Proper technique leads to less injuries. Some common injuries from athletes include sprains, fractures, joint and muscle injuries. When training, it’s less about quantity, and more about quality. Using proper technique is essential to playing your best and preventing injuries. Make sure you’re playing with the proper equipment, balance your body weight to prevent one side from being stronger than the other and use proper footwork. As an athlete, it’s important to always ask your coach for feedback and be receptive to that feedback and prevent groupthink.
Finally, it’s important for athletes to take time and rest from practice or their previous competition. It’s important to know that muscles can be overused. Remember to stretch, hydrate to prevent any dehydration or heat exhaustion and eat within 15-60 mins after finishing to prevent any loss of nutrients. If you’re injured, it’s important to rest and not rush. Make sure that you leave yourself an adequate time to heal from previous injury. Be sure to have your injury checked out by your doctor or an athletic trainer/physical therapist. Be sure that you’re clear to practice or play by your doctor to prevent getting re-injured.