Pre-season injury prevention tips. Are you ready for the coming season?
While many of our summer sports are moving towards the end of the season, our winter sports players are just beginning their pre-season training.
At this time of year, we commonly see an influx of people attending physio with niggling injuries as a result of their rapid increase in training loads as they get ready for the coming season.
Here are 5 Spine & Sports Physiotherapy tips to help you prevent injuries this pre-season.
- Warm-Up. Taking some time to get the body ready for exercise is important as it gives the muscles and joints a chance to go through the expected movements in a controlled fashion. Start with a 5-10minute jog, then go through some dynamic stretches and movements that mimic the game you are about to play.
- Get in the Gym. The majority of injuries occur as a result of muscle weakness (and imbalances) that develop over a longer period of time. By performing resistance training x1-2/week you can start to strengthen your body to reduce these imbalances and dramatically reduce your risk of injury.
- Drink More Water. By staying hydrated (especially in the summer months) you will ward off fatigue, muscle cramps, dizziness and other symptoms associated with an increased risk of injury.
- Cool-Down Stretches. Static stretching is most effective post-activity and by becoming more flexible you will be allowing your muscles to work more effectively over a greater range of motion.
- Have an Injury Screening. An Injury Screening is an excellent way to find possible trouble spots by identifying areas that need attention before an injury happens.
If you’re interested in having a FREE Injury Screening (plus a report and recommendations to reduce your injury risk during the season), either call us on (08) 9707 3708 or email contact@spineandsportsphysio.com.au and write “blog – free injury screening” in the subject line.