How not to misstep during sports training

After a summer or off-season from your sport or physical activity, you may be more at risk of a sports-related injury. This is usually the result of your body being reintroduced to new levels of strain after relaxing time off.

The good news? Many sports injuries, including sprains, dislocations and fractures, can be prevented. Dr. Erica Kroncke, sports medicine physician at Aurora Health Center, recommends treading lightly into the new season.

“Build up strength while keeping it slow,” she says. “Say at the end of last season you were squatting 175 pounds, but if you haven’t kept up with strength training, that’s not what you’ll be able to squat today. Keep in mind that you must start slow and work your way back up to your previous strength.”

Exercises to help during sports training

Dr. Kroncke also advises to continually build up strength by supplementing training with conditioning and warm-up or cool-down exercises every day. Incorporating these strength training exercises into your everyday routine can help, too:

• Core exercises – A stable core is crucial for every sport and decreasing your risk for injury. Try incorporating some simple core exercises like planks and sit-ups into your routine.
• Stay hydrated – Make sure you are taking proper breaks throughout your training to prevent dehydration and heat stroke.
• Stretching – Flexibility is key to warming up your muscles prior to training to prevent injury. Stretching should not be painful, and you should aim to hold each stretch for 20 seconds.
• Rest – It’s important to listen to your body and recognize when certain muscles are overused, and you need a break.
• Proper technique – Using the right equipment, technique and sport-specific skills particular to your sport is crucial to preventing injury. Speak to your instructor or coach on tips to improve your technique and skills.
• Healing time – If you do sustain a sports-related injury, it’s important to seek proper medical care and listen to the recommended healing time before returning to your sport.

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