An Expert's Tips for Athletes Who Want to Prevent Injuries

There’s always a risk of injury with sports participation, regardless of age, ability, or level of competition. But every athlete has the chance to reduce that risk through a wide range of strategies. 

When a sports injury does happen, look no further than David Dickerson, MD, and Shawn Denning, DNP, APN at the Performance Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine for diagnosis, treatment, and injury rehabilitation. They will help you get back into the game as quickly as possible. 

Types of sports injuries

Whenever the intensity and pace picks up, the chance of injury climbs too. Most of the time, sports injuries happen to soft tissue. Muscles, tendons, and ligaments are usually the first to suffer. 

The National Library of Medicine’s MedlinePlus blog lists the most common sports injuries as: 

• Sprains and strains
• Injuries to the knees
• Muscle swelling
• Achilles tendon injury
• Shin splints

Potentially serious injuries like dislocations and fractures are further down the list. 

Common reasons for sports injuries

We’ve looked at the types of injuries that most commonly occur from playing or training for sports. More important is how they happen. It’s harder to pinpoint specific causes, though, and that’s information you need to avoid many injuries. 

Some of the causes, either on their own or in combination, include: 

• Insufficient conditioning or training for the level of competition
• Poor body mechanics in training and/or competition
• Improper fit or use of sports equipment and protective gear
• Inadequate or inappropriate warmup routine before practice or a game
• Repetitive strain and overuse injuries
• Overall poor physical conditioning
• Playing or practicing when tired

The excitement of sports participation itself may inspire you to give that extra effort. It can sometimes take you to the next level, and it can also push you past safe limits. 

Tips for athletes who want to prevent injuries

The fundamental basis on safe sports participation is a general level of fitness that supports the activity combined with knowledge of the game, its physical demands, and how to use appropriate protective equipment. Consider these strategies to build toward injury-free athletics.

Fitness plan

Cardiovascular exercise, strength training, and flexibility workouts provide a baseline of capability that helps you to stay healthy in virtually any sporting situation. 

Warmups and cooldowns

Stretching and skills repetition prepare your body for the demands of the coming game or workout. While warmups help you avoid injury during the game, a cooldown session that’s twice as long as your warmup helps to avoid muscle cramping and tightness. 

The right footwear

Gone are the days when running shoes were general purpose footwear for virtually any sport. Shoe design now supports the motions and balances specific to a single sport, so it’s important to have the right shoe for your game and replace them when wear gets advanced. 

Protective equipment

It’s hard to imagine that ice hockey goalies once played without masks. Proper-fitting protective equipment is often the difference between a bruise and a major injury. Like shoes, replace equipment as it wears out to stay protected. 

Don’t play hurt

If you’re tired and sore, it’s time to rest. Sure, pro athletes often play through the pain with the demands of elite level competition. They don’t need to report to work the following morning, and they have medical support standing by to help them recover. Know when to quit. 

Avoiding sports injuries often comes down to common sense. Starting with the basics provides an adaptable baseline for safe participation in any sport. Build on these five tips by adding sport-specific practices for your game. 

Performance Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine is your first call if an injury slips through your preparation. Request an appointment online or call our office directly when you need pro-level sports injury care.