5 Tips to Prevent Sports Injuries This Spring

Sports are a great way for you to stay in shape, have fun, and spend time with friends. However, if you aren’t careful, they can also lead to injuries and time on the bench. Don’t be discouraged though, because there are many things you can do to prevent injuries on and off the field.

The doctors at Alpha Orthopedics and Sports Medicine located in McKinney, Prosper, and Sherman Texas can help you get back on your feet after a sports injury. Whether it’s conservative treatment or surgery, we can get you ready for competition.

Types of sports injuries

If you play sports, you know that staying in shape and taking precautions can help prevent you from getting injured during the season. There are many common injuries you can sustain during sporting events, including:

•  Dislocations
•  Fractures
•  Strains
•  Ligament tears

These injuries can range in severity, but can really cause you a lot of pain and discomfort. Understanding the sport you are playing can help you figure out how to best prepare for the game.

Tips to help you prevent injury on and off the field

There are a lot of things you can do to keep your body in tip-top shape to prevent getting hurt. Here are five things you can do to stay in the game this spring:

1. Wear the correct gear for your sport. Wearing protective equipment, such as helmets, pads, mouthpieces, face guards, cups, and eyewear, can protect you from harm during sporting events. Make sure this protective equipment is fitted correctly to you.
2. Warm-up and stretch before you start playing. It isn’t a good idea to just run out onto the field without loosening up your muscles beforehand. Ideally, you want to get some stretching in or take a short jog to get the blood flowing and your muscles ready.
3. Know the rules and regulations of the game you are playing. When you know and understand what is legal in sporting events, injuries are less likely to occur. You, of course, need to watch out for the other players, but knowing what you are doing will save you and your teammates from time off due to injury.
4. Don’t play through pain. If you are playing and feel a tweak or a pull in your body, stop playing and have someone check you out. If you continue to play with a mild injury, it could get worse leaving you on the sidelines for longer than you may hope.
5. Strengthen your muscles and increase flexibility. Training is important on and off of the field to keep in shape for your sport. Building lean muscle along with stretching to increase flexibility helps to get your muscles ready for the season.

What to do if you sustain an injury

If you happen to injure yourself on the field, our staff is able to get X-rays and diagnose the problem quickly. Remember, don’t play on with an injury, as it can cause you more damage and longer recovery times.

Once our team diagnoses your injury, we can start to build a treatment plan. For minor sports-related injuries, our doctors may recommend resting along with ice. This helps to reduce pain and swelling, which leads to a quicker recovery. They may also recommend physical therapy to strengthen the muscles around the injury.

For more severe injuries, surgical intervention may be necessary to get you back on your feet. This may seem overwhelming, but the newest technology allows our surgeons to use minimally invasive techniques to repair your injury and get you back on your game.

If you find yourself suffering from a sports-related injury, call Alpha Orthopedics today at one of our three convenient locations, or make an appointment online today to get yourself on the road to recovery.