Written and media by Barry Nixon.
While playing sports you have to be able to understand the risk and possibilities of getting hurt. There are several types of injuries that can be caused by the wrong planting on the court or field. While participating in a contact sport you have to be able to accept the rough play style and adapt to the level of competition when it comes to winning a sporting event. Most common injuries occur in football, basketball, or soccer. In sports, many of the same injuries occur over and over again.
There are several ways to prevent injuries from occurring in today’s sports. The main key to prevent pulling any muscles or tendons is stretching. Stretching can be both good and bad. Before a sporting event or practice, you are supposed to stretch for at least 10 minutes before starting any activity. No matter what sport you play, the most common injury will most likely be an ankle sprain. An ankle sprain is an injury in which your ankle rolls, twists, or turns awkwardly, thus causing pain and discomfort to an athlete or person.
In the game of basketball and football, you are taught all of the techniques in the world to help you prevent muscle injuries. In contact sports, all it takes is for one player to make the wrong move at the wrong time, and your career can come to an end. Another injury that is common in the sports field is a torn ACL. The ACL is known as the main ligament found in the knee that helps an athlete’s leg perform. You also have an MCL and LCL that surrounds the ACL as a protector. When an injury such as an ACL occurs, you are done for the season. A torn ACL or MCL typically requires being out for a month until surgery. After surgery you are likely to be out an additional six months for recovery. Most trainers view a torn ACL as an injury that is hard for athletes to recover from, not because of the lack of performance, but because there is a real fear of the athletes re-injuring themselves, causing further suffering.
While playing sports, you also have to be aware of fractures and dislocations of the bones and joints. Sonti Grady, a member of the Greenville Men’s Basketball Team, can a shoot the ball from anywhere on the court. Grady has unfortunately missed several games due to a bad ankle injury which happened at the beginning of the season. Grady has tried to place through his injury, which has further caused him time off the court due to re-injury.
In order to stay safe and in the game, one has to be mindful of the injuries which can occur both on and off the field. If you plan on being practicing caution in this way here are five tips to prevent injuries :
- Wear protective gear at all times.
- Know the rules of the game and what injuries may occur when playing.
- Get plenty of sleep, and ice all sore muscles.
- Warm up and stretch before games and practice; cool down after.
- Do not play while injured.
