Exercising and playing sports carry a risk of injury. While it’s not always possible to avoid injuries, there are steps you can take to reduce risks.
Warming up and cooling down
Warming up and cooling down should be essential components of every exercise or training session. The warm-up is designed to prepare the body for physical activity and increase blood flow to the muscles. If you start playing a sport or working out without warming up first, you run the risk of pulling muscles and you’ll find it more difficult to get up to speed. Take your time to get your body ready. Combine light cardio exercises to elevate your heart rate with stretches. After your session, always cool down. Stretch every major muscle group and bring your heart rate down gradually. If you stop exercising suddenly, your blood pressure may drop dramatically making you feel dizzy and you may experience muscle soreness and stiffness.
Diet and supplements
When you train frequently or you compete in activities or sports, it’s crucial to pay attention to your diet. Your diet should provide sufficient fuel for your body and ensure that it gets all the vital nutrients needed for optimum health. Healthy eating can boost energy levels and support healing and recovery but you can also add supplements such as adrenal switch to lower the risk of muscle soreness and reduce injury risks. If you expend a lot of energy and you work your muscles hard, it’s particularly important to make sure that your diet provides enough protein.
Rest
It’s tempting to train as hard as possible if you want to achieve results but rest is critical to allow your body to recover. If you’ve been through an intense workout, have a day off or opt for a light workout. Activities like yoga and swimming are great options. It’s also beneficial to listen to your body. Sometimes, you don’t bounce back as quickly as usual after a workout or a week of training, for example. There could be several reasons for this, but if you’re tired, you’re in pain or you’re finding it hard to make it through the sessions, taking a break is a good idea. If you continue to push yourself when you don’t feel 100%, you could do more harm than good.
Massage
Massage therapy can help to ease tension, aid recovery and help to restore muscle function. Many people also find that having regular massages helps them to relax. There are different types of massage therapy and you can ask your therapist to target specific areas. Massage involves using specific hand movements and techniques to stimulate blood flow, reduce muscle tension and increase mobility and suppleness.
Every athlete dreads getting injured. Sometimes, there is nothing you can do to avert danger but often, it’s possible to reduce risks by following simple steps. Always include a thorough warm-up and cool-down in your sessions, eat a balanced diet and consider using supplements to support recovery, take breaks to allow your body to rest and go for regular massages.
