Sports and exercise safely
Playing tennis with a badly strung racquet while wearing worn-out shoes can increase your risk of injury almost as much as playing football without shoulder pads. Using the wrong — or not properly fitted — equipment is a major cause of injuries.
Wear helmet, facemasks, mouthguards, wristwear, and footwear etc. Not only is the right kind of equipment important, so is the right fit. If you don’t know if your equipment fits properly, check with a coach, gym teacher, athletic trainer, or parent to make sure you have the right size and that you’re wearing it correctly. Many sporting goods stores can also help you find the right fit.
The bottom line: Wearing the right equipment with the right fit greatly lowers your risk of getting hurt.
1. Warm up to keep your game up
Don’t rush into any sport or exercise without warming up first — muscles that haven’t been properly prepared tend to be injured more easily.
Start out with some light cardiovascular activities, such as easy jogging, jumping jacks, or brisk walking, just to get your muscles going. Follow your brief warm-up with some stretches. (Stretching works best after a warm-up because your tissues are more elastic [flexible] due to the increase in heat and blood flow to the muscles.)
2. Staying off the court when you are hurt
If you’ve been injured and you try to come back too soon, you run the great risk of reinjuring yourself — maybe even more seriously than before. Don’t let anyone — including yourself, your parents, your friends, or even your coach — pressure you into playing before your body is fully healed. Your doctor, coach, or trainer will give you specific advice on when you should return to your sport or activity. Taking time to heal is particularly important if you’ve had a concussion.
3. Painkiller is not the better solution for injury
If you feel persistent pain, don’t use pain relievers to mask it, though. Taking large amounts of pain relievers — or, worse yet, taking pain relievers for a long time in order to play — can be dangerous. Pain is the body’s way of signaling it’s not happy with what you’re doing. If you have a lot of pain, get treatment so you can resolve what’s causing it.
4. To stick to the rules of the game
Rules and regulations usually exist for a good reason — to keep you and your teammates in the game and to avoid injuries. Do yourself a favor and learn the rules thoroughly — and then follow them.
Rules aren’t restrictions. They’re designed to promote safety so that everyone can enjoy the game.
4. Too much of a good thing is less
Some athletes may also think that repeated exercise will help them to win an important game. To add extra workouts to those regularly scheduled with their teams without consulting their coaches or trainers. The pressure to succeed may also lead these people to exercise more than is healthy. The body needs activity but it also needs rest. Overexercising can lead to injuries like stress fractures and muscle strains.
5. Exercise log
Experts recommend that most of us get 60 minutes or more of moderate to vigorous activity every day. Keeping an exercise log is a great way to stay motivated and reach exercise goals.
An exercise log keeps track of what you do, allowing you to see patterns in case you are not meeting your exercise requirements. Your log lets you see your progress and accomplishments.
Considering the benefits to the heart, muscles, joints, and mind, it’s easy to see why exercise is wise. And the great thing about exercise is that it’s never too late to start. Even small things can count as exercise when you’re starting out — like taking a short bike ride, walking the dog, or raking leaves.
So, take a dance class, hit the hiking trails or join a soccer team. Find a physical activity you enjoy, and just do it. if you are bored, try something new, or do something with friends.
