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The weather is getting warmer and many of us plan on spending more active time outside. Rather than jumping back into bike riding, hiking or playing summer sports, make sure your body is prepared to prevent injuries that could cut your season short.
Repetitive Motion Back Injuries
Activities like swimming and cycling involve a series of repetitive motions. Individuals who spend hours in the pool or on the trails with their backs arched are at risk for injury.
If you already suffer from back pain, engaging in these activities without a proper warm-up could exacerbate preexisting issues.
Overuse Injuries
Overuse injuries are not unique to a single activity. Rather, they often occur when you don’t give your body a chance to rest and heal. This can happen after a break physical activity, then going head-first into a summer sport without taking things slow.
This time of year, overuse injuries affect practically all seasonal activities, including swimming, baseball, basketball and running. If ignored, incomplete healing may result in a soft tissue injury, like a sprain or strain. Aside from remaining physically active during the off-season, start your summer sport at a slower pace and give your body enough time to rest between practices and sessions.
Fractures
Not participating in an activity for months at a time might mean you’re less coordinated at first – which can lead to falls and other injuries resulting in a fracture. Especially if you fail to warm up or put on appropriate protective gear, the risk of sustaining a fracture greatly increases.
Sprains and Strains
In the summer, these injuries can occur anywhere in the body, from a pulled hamstring to a sprained ankle. As a note, sprains and strains are not the same injury. The former affects the ligaments and the latter your muscles and tendons. Avoiding either does involve a similar approach: Make sure you fully stretch before engaging in any activity this summer.
Should you experience a strain or sprain, be sure to ice the area and take anti-inflammatory medication before resting and possibly seeking medical attention. As with all other injuries, returning to activity with a partially healed sprain or strain will only worsen the condition and may cause long-term damage.
Muscle Cramps
Muscle cramps can come on suddenly, particularly when you’re engaged in a more strenuous activity. However, the sport itself is not to blame. Rather, muscle cramps may be a symptom of:
- Overuse
- Strain
- Poor diet
- Dehydration
To avoid dehydration while playing a summer sport, it’s also recommended you consume 11 to 15 cups of water per day.
Neck and Shoulder Injuries
Activities like swimming, biking, surfing, volleyball, tennis and water skiing often involve the shoulders and neck. This increases your risk of whiplash, which can reduce your range of motion and result in dizziness or nausea.
Many individuals also experience misalignment and dislocation, especially if they haven’t warmed up or skipped off-season training.
Tips to Avoid Summer Sports Injuries
- Before physical activity, fully warm up and stretch. Otherwise, you risk a strain or muscle cramps.
- Especially if you experience a strain or sprain practice RICE (rest, icing, compression, elevation) and wait until your injury is fully healed before returning to activity.
- Maintain a year-round diet rich in calcium and Vitamin D, both of which promote bone strength. Consuming foods rich in these minerals can reduce your risk of fractures and broken bones.
- In the off-season, continue with strength and endurance conditioning. This helps prepare your muscles for the summer sports season.
Work with our team to prepare and remain injury-free through the summer sports season.
To learn more about our services, including physical therapy for an injury, contact us today.