Summer will soon be here, meaning that many people will finally get to head outside and play their favorite sports. Summer sports, from baseball to soccer to tennis and more, are excellent ways to stay active and enjoy a team activity, but make sure that you and your family are staying healthy during the summer sports season by following these injury prevention tips:
Stay Hydrated
Playing sports outside in the summer will require plenty of hydration. With the sun beating down, you’ll be sweating more than you would while playing a sport indoors, so make sure to have ample drinking water on hand and don’t forget to hydrate throughout the session. After all, dehydration can slow you down with effects including low energy, muscle cramps, and dizziness.
Eat Healthily
An active lifestyle requires high-quality fuel to keep you going. Make sure that you eat enough calories to provide the energy that you need for summer sports. Those calories should come from whole, healthy foods, including fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins.
Warm Up
Just because it’s warm outside doesn’t mean that you can skip a warm-up. Warming up before you exercise is essential for injury prevention year-round. Without getting the blood flowing and boosting your muscle temperature before playing sports, you could face an injury or accident during the game.
Get Prompt Treatment for Injuries.
If you do happen to get injured while playing summer sports, don’t put off treatment or try to push through the injury. Doing so will only make it worse, potentially sidelining you for an extended time period.Minor injuries may be effectively treated at home with the RICE method: rest, ice, compression, and elevation. But if the pain from an injury lasts for longer than a couple of days, leads to excessive inflammation, or stops you from being able to bear weight on a joint, you should seek medical treatment.
Hernando Orthopaedic provides sports medicine services for treatment of sports injuries. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.