Sports is one of the best and most effective physical activities that offer innumerable health benefits. According to the Health line, games recover your mood, concentration, and sleep habits as well. It also helps with managing stress and depression, improving your self-confidence, and sustaining a healthy weight. When it comes to choices, one is not limited by them. There are hundreds of different types of sports out there, and you can choose from football, cricket, basketball, baseball, badminton, volleyball, and many more. Though performing sports activities is fun, exciting, and good for health, you cannot overlook the fact that every sport comes with risks and injuries.

In 2014, a study from the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry stated that 19.4 % of gym fanatics suffer an injury during CrossFit training, while 79.3% of athletes experience injuries like stress fractures, tendinitis, muscle tears, and shin splints. Another study conducted by The Centre for International Public Health Policy of the University of Edinburgh stated that 24% of players get injured  15% out if which is by playing football. It comes as no surprise that injuries and sports go hand-in-hand.

However, this should not be the case if you follow correct training techniques protocols and take some simple precautions. You must take care of your body in performing sports. Though eliminating the risk of getting injured is nearly impossible, by following the right techniques and heeding these tips mentioned below, you can minimize the risk. To learn about the tips by following which you can prevent sports injuries, continue reading.

1.     Set Realistic Goals

Generally, sports injuries occur for two main and different reasons that are trauma and overuse. While traumatic sports injuries are often apparent, like when a player falls clutching his knee, overuse injuries are arguably more common. Such types of injuries often occur when the player pushes his body past its present physical limits or level of conditioning. Other factors like poor training techniques such as excessive running or doing inadequate warm-ups contribute as well.

When it comes to participating in sports, we all should have goals. Being a sportsperson, it is essential that you should set goals and work hard to accomplish them. It is equally important to have realistic goals that you can quickly achieve and sustain. Whether you are opting for swimming more laps, lift more weight, or run a specific distance, set an attainable goal, and progressively work to improve. You do not want to overdo whatever you are participating in.

2.     Stay Conditioned

First things first, before you even engage in any type of training or sports, you need to make sure that you are in a proper physical condition. Keeping your body in good shape is one of the best ways to avoid any sports-related injury. To do so, you should do regular conditioning exercises that are intended specifically for your sport. It will make sure that your muscles stay fortified that are used during play.

A high-quality sports conditioning routine will not only work on strength but also on agility, endurance, power, speed, coordination, skill, and flexibility. Furthermore, make sure you train slowly but surely because no one can learn any sports overnight. Therefore, you should undergo training to condition your body; otherwise, you can suffer a sports injury.

3.     Warm-Up before Exercise

It is quite surprising how many people jump straight into a treadmill run or weight training without stretching and warming up their muscles. No matter how excellent is the condition of your body, your muscles will be tight when you start your preparation without warming up. If you are not bothering to warm up, you are always on the risk of strain or rupture if you accidentally overstretch or twist a joint the wrong way.

A warm-up is the best way to prepare your body and mind for the main training session as it will gradually raise the heart rate, improve mobility, and the functionality of the body movement. As a result, you will be less likely to suffer any muscle or tendon strain. A proper warm-up requires a little walking, stretching, or working the muscles with low weights.

4.     Wear Recommended Protective Gear

Though wearing recommended sports gear will not eliminate the risk of occurring any sports injury, it definitely will minimize the possibility. Safety equipment is crucial in avoiding and decreasing the impact of sports-related injuries. Head- and brain-related injuries are two of the most common and, arguably, the most critical injuries that anyone with no protective gear can suffer. If you experience any injury during a sports event, then you may wish to contact an Orange county Injury Attorney for advice. Such attorneys can help recover the expenses that you spend on your injury.

Over 21% of all traumatic brain injuries in children take place during sports and fun activities. The same goes for the adults, not wearing proper helmets results in traumatic brain injuries. Therefore, wearing helmets during games can significantly reduce the chance of occurring brain injuries. Helmets act as a cushion or beanbag that spread out the force of any impact to the skull. The use of an appropriate helmet during any activity is essential – be it football, hockey, baseball, or softball.

5.     Stay Hydrated

Exercise is vital for the body, and with the proper safety measures, sports injuries can often be avoided. There is no denying that high-quality protective gear such as helmets, padding, mouth guards, and shoes have improved the safety in sports, but still, there is a chance of injury. As much as you need to stay in good shape and use safety gear, you also should know the importance of hydration when you are doing sports.

It comes as no surprise how important hydration is. You should stay hydrated so that you are avoiding dehydration. If you are drinking water before and after exercise, you are making sure that your body is gaining back the lost hydration. Drinking water or fluids 30 minutes before engaging in any activity comes highly recommended. In fact, you should take water breaks every 15-20 minutes when participating in sports. The more active you are in games, the more water you should put back in your body.

6.     Emphasize Proper Technique and Guidelines

Every sport has proper techniques and methods to follow. There is both the correct way and the wrong way of doing things. By following the proper techniques and guidelines, you are making sure that you are minimizing the risk of any mistake and injury. For instance, football players should be taught the most appropriate way to tackle an opponent to dodge a concussion. If they are not taught the right methods to play, there will always be a risk of sports injury.

Similarly, baseball players should know how to throw the ball accurately, what type of training they should undergo, and how many throws to make in a day. The incorrect technique for any physical activity can result in injury. Therefore, you should seek guidance from an expert or sporting coach who can advise and guide you so that you learn the correct training protocols.

7.     Rest Up Between Training

Resting between training sessions is probably one of the most unappreciated parts of a training program. It is essential to let your body recover from the stresses of your activity and repair microscopic damage that may have occurred to the muscles and tissues during exercise. If you don’t take enough rest, the minor damage will become cumulative. As a result, a limp body will be more susceptible to illness or injury.

So, to prevent these microscopic muscle and tissue damage and to avoid any significant injury, you should dedicate at least one day to rest in your training schedule every week. This rest doesn’t mean you are allowed to do alternative sports activities. This means you should give your body a proper and a much-needed rest. Additionally, after a race or any sports event, you should take the rest of a few days so that your body will recover from minor damages.

8.     Heed to Good Nutrition

There is no surprise that for a good and effective exercise program, you should have a good nutrition plan. It is because your body demands all the nutrition to put back into it that you have taken out. The stresses of exercise and sports activity on the body mean that you need higher nutrition requirements than that of an inactive person. If you neglect nutrition, then your body will not be able to recover correctly from training, which can lead to illness or injury.

The best thing to do is to eat regular and small meals to fuel your body and replace energy fast. You also don’t want to neglect protein as it is essential for growth and repair. As an active sportsperson, your body needs more than someone less active. You can even prevent energy loss by eating or snacking after some time. Avoiding long gaps between meals doesn’t mean you can eat whatever you want to. It means that you should focus on clean eating and an unprocessed diet.