4 Tips for Preventing Sports Injuries This Spring

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4 Tips for Reducing Your Chances of a Sports Injury This Spring

There is no way to completely rule out the risks associated with spring sports, but by utilizing these four precautions, you can minimize your risk of injury significantly.

1. Always Warm-Up and Cool-Down

Before we get into the rest of our tips, let’s warm-up. This step is important to protect your muscles and joints. When our ligaments aren’t in use, they become stiff, are less flexible, and are more prone to injury. Warming up your body increases your internal temperature and blood flow to your muscles, which can help reduce your chances of a tear or strain. This is crucial especially before a more intense workout or activity such as HIIT, hiking, or distance running.

Warming Up

Your warm-up routine should last for about 10 minutes — and you should start with light exercise and gradually increase intensity before your main activity. Here are some activities to add to your next warm-up:

  • General stretching
  • High knees
  • Jogging in place
  • Lunges
  • Jumping jacks
  • Side shuffles

Cooling Down

It’s just as important to cool down after your workout when it comes to lowering your risk of sustaining a sports injury. This not only lets your heart rate come down, but gives your muscles a middle ground to recover. Some examples of cool-down exercises you can add to your routine include:

  • Walking
  • Light jogging
  • Yoga

2. Always Wear Protective Gear

It’s critical that you always wear these recommended safety gear items, depending on the activity:

  • Proper footwear
  • Padding
  • Mouthguard
  • Helmet

3. Eat a Healthy Diet

Calcium and vitamin D are two essential nutrients that support and maintain healthy bones and muscles — working together to maintain bone density and muscle strength.

Be sure to fuel your body before and after exercise with some of these foods:

  • Dark leafy greens
  • Dairy
  • Lean protein
  • Almonds
  • Eggs

4. Seek Sports Injury Treatment if Needed

Whether months inside have caused you to feel new aches and strains, or you’re recovering from an existing sports injury, it’s important to consult with your doctor before getting back into the game.

Common sports injuries and related afflictions we have treated include but are not limited to:

  • Tendonitis
  • Sciatica
  • Sprains
  • Chronic headaches
  • Shoulder or knee pain
  • Breaks and fractures, especially in the feet, wrists, shoulders, and spine

The Orthopedic & Sports Medicine Center of Oregon is an award-winning, board-certified orthopedic group located in downtown Portland Oregon. We utilize both surgical and nonsurgical means to treat musculoskeletal trauma, spine diseases, sports injuries, degenerative diseases, infections, tumors and congenital disorders.

Our mission is to return our patients back to pain-free mobility and full strength as quickly and painlessly as possible using both surgical and non-surgical orthopedic procedures.

Our expert physicians provide leading-edge, comprehensive care in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic conditions, including total joint replacement and sports medicine. We apply the latest state-of-the-art techniques in order to return our patients to their active lifestyle.

If you’re looking for compassionate, expert orthopedic surgeons in Portland Oregon, contact OSM today.

Phone:
503-224-8399

Address
1515 NW 18th Ave, 3rd Floor
Portland, OR 97209

Hours
Monday–Friday
8:00am – 4:30pm