How are you navigating injury prevention?
Exercise and sport can be hugely beneficial both physically and mentally. Whether you’ve taken up a new sport, are training for a specific event or are just looking to move your body more, exercise is great.
However, with increased movement there is increased potential for injury. That’s why today we’re going to be talking about injury prevention as a whole, covering all aspects and sharing our top tips on the topic. This includes some of the common causes of injury, ways to prevent injury and how to aid recovery if something does happen.
Here at Balance 360, we offer a wide range of services to help with prevention and recovery - you’re certainly in the right place if you need help!
Common causes of injury
When it comes to injury, especially sports injuries, there may be external factors that could not have been anticipated, such as tackles in games or taking a fall. These are known as acute injuries, and aren’t as easily avoidable.
However, chronic injuries such as overuse of a particular muscle, may be the result of:
Not warming up properly/lack of stretching
Not using the correct techniques
Overtraining/lack of rest days
Not recovering properly from a prior injury
Ways to prevent injury
After understanding some of the common causes of injury, it’s clearer to see some of the easier ways to prevent the injury in the first place.
Warm up with dynamic stretches
Taking the time to warm up is very important for improving the ability of the muscles in their performance. You will be able to increase your range of motion, but also increase your heart rate and therefore your blood flow - allowing more oxygen to reach your muscles. This can be done through functional movements or dynamic stretches, such as lunges, bodyweight squats, and ankle hops.
At this stage, it’s important to engage in dynamic stretches as static stretching will just cause more potential for injury in the pre workout stage. Dynamic stretches will help to better prepare your muscles and soft tissues for any upcoming performance!
Develop a fitness plan
A well-structured fitness plan will factor in rest days and alternate different muscle groups to train. This helps to avoid overtraining and not putting too much strain on your muscles and body as a whole.
Learn the correct techniques
A lot of injuries stem from incorrect technique or posture. This can include balancing your bodyweight and maintaining the right amount of pressure on different parts of the body, or utilising the right footwork to prevent ankle injuries etc.
General maintenance/recovering from injury
If you do sustain an injury, we have a wide range of services to help you recover.
A lot of these issues can stem from the muscles, joints and restrictions, so improving that range of motion or relaxing a tight muscle with a Sports & Remedial Massage can be hugely beneficial. This massage will focus on a certain area that’s causing a problem, working towards correcting any aches and pains.
If you’re looking to treat a specific sports condition or long-term tendon problem, Shockwave Therapy is a good solution. The types of issues we commonly see are Plantar Fasciitis or Achilles pain, or treating tendon or ligament issues. The main focus for this service is treating tendons, ligaments or muscles.
If you’re in any type of pain, Medical Acupuncture can generally treat a lot of these issues. Some of the most commonly treated issues include chronic shoulder problems, but Medical Acupuncture can treat multiple conditions or areas in one sitting.
As we always say, we want to help you get Back in Balance and to Maintain that Balance - injury prevention and recovery is just one part of that!
Get in touch today or book online for Sports & Remedial Massage or Shockwave Therapy with Rhys, or Medical Acupuncture with Jamie.