Many different sports require endurance and stamina to be at optimal levels, whether it’s running across a football field or shifting from one side of the court to the other. Knee pains are one of the most common types of body injuries that athletes experience. Knee injuries can be harmful to an athlete’s career as it can immobilise them during a match, or put them out of the competitive scene permanently.
Protecting your knee from injuries
A smart athlete knows what their bodies limits are, and works towards overcoming those limits with the right pacing. In this article, we will share five training tips so that you can prevent having knee injuries in the future:
Do routine stretches
Your stretching sessions should include both ankles and hips together with your core to avoid unwanted knee injuries. If any part of your torso and lower body is unprepared to handle an intense athletic activity, it could give your knees undue stress.
Stretching helps in improving joint mobility and flexibility before your workout. It doesn’t only warm up your muscles, but it also makes them more malleable in increasing your body’s flexibility and agility in the long run.
Perform warm-ups
Getting your blood pumping is the best way to condition your body before you go through a strenuous exercise routine. Doing a warm-up routine primes your body to prepare for increased activity in your heart, lungs, and muscles.
The increased blood flow from your warm-up sessions raises your body’s temperature, which lessens the shock to your knees when you have to do stressful and agile manoeuvres in your workout.
Wear safety equipment even during training
Each sport has the appropriate equipment that’s necessary for official matches and also for training purposes. Wearing the right gear is one way to prevent substantial injuries, especially when it comes to contact sports.
Don’t treat practice matches as an excuse to avoid wearing protective gear. Knee pads are necessary for intense sports, such as basketball, hockey, and football, to avoid the risk of damaging your knees from slips and falls. It’s better to be well-equipped for the worst instead of regretting an avoidable injury.
Treat your injuries seriously
When it comes to muscle spasms, you need to give it the right attention. Therapeutic heat improves blood circulation on your joints for better blood circulation, which allows your body to heal your injuries naturally at a faster rate.
Putting your joints under twenty to thirty minutes of heat therapy improves blood circulation to promote healing of sore tissues. You can apply this process to your joints even if you don’t have an injury through the use of a thermal wrap before your heavy workout.
Remember to give your body time to rest
When it comes to training for an upcoming season, athletes often forget the importance of having quality rest in between training and workout sessions. After putting your body under a considerable amount of physical rest, you need to give it some much-needed rest.
Taking a break doesn’t always mean lying down on your back. Low-intensity activities, such as cycling, swimming, and yoga, are excellent ways to keep your body in shape while giving it time to breathe from heavy exercises.
Conclusion
Prevention is the best cure for knee injuries. When you push your body beyond its limit, you’re prone to experiencing long-term damage to your body from wear and tear. The best way to avoid any injuries in general to your body is by listening to your body’s red flags.
Anytime Physio offers sports physiotherapy in Brisbane to help with various body pain sustained by athletes and physically active individuals. If you’re dealing with physical pain, contact us today for an expert diagnosis and treatment on your body’s injuries!
