An Athletic Trainer’s Guide To Preventing Sports Injuries
June 3, 2024
Preventing injury during a sporting season is crucial for athletes in order to maintain peak performance and avoid setbacks. Here are some tips from our Athletic Trainers to minimize the risk of injury:
Strength & Conditioning
Incorporate strength training programs into conditioning routines that are tailored to the specific needs of the sport you are playing and your goals. Strengthening muscles around your joints helps to provide support and stability, preventing injury.
It is important to develop and execute preseason conditioning programs to gradually prepare for the physical demands of your sport. Easing into the exertion of movement and reaching peak performance during the most important time of your sport’s season will lead to the best results.
Flexibility & Mobility
Including regular stretching exercises into training sessions increases your flexibility and mobility, reducing the risk of muscle strains and joint injuries. Our past April blog The Role of Stretching and Flexibility Exercises gives a detailed picture of the benefits, types, and how this topic relates to sports.
Warm Up & Cool Down
Engaging in dynamic warm-up routines before practices and games increases blood flow to muscles, improves flexibility, and prepares the body for activity. Cooling down properly after exercise can also help to prevent injury. These are great bookends for productive training sessions.
Correct Techniques & Equipment
Make sure you are using proper form while training and competing. Incorrect movements put strain on the muscles and joints, leading to injury. Same goes for use of equipment. Proper fitting and appropriate footwear, protective gear, etc. minimizes injuries.
Rest & Recovery
Get adequate rest between high-impact workouts to allow your body time to recover. Over-training and overuse increases the risk of fatigue and injury. Also ensure you stay hydrated and get proper nutrition. Nutrition supports muscle recovery and overall performance.
Monitoring & Communication
Keep track, or make sure someone else is, of your physical condition and any signs of fatigue or injury. Report any pain or abnormal discomfort early on to ensure prompt intervention and to stop an injury from happening altogether.
If you have been injured in the past, implement rehabilitation goals and future protocols to make sure you are fully recovered before going back to your sport. This will also benefit you when you do participate again, decreasing your risk of injury.
Education & Awareness
Make sure you know about the common injuries in your sport, their causes, and preventative strategies so that you are empowered to lower your chances of season-ending injury.
You want to stay on the field, court, arena and we want to keep you there. Incorporating these strategies into training programs and day-to-day workouts is a stride in the right direction in staying in the game.
If you have any further questions for an athletic trainer regarding sports injury, reach out to our team!