Don’t let pain sideline you!
There is nothing more exciting than taking on a new challenge, sport or activity. For most of us, the thrill of accomplishing a physical goal is what we live for. However, are you prepared to reach that goal? The term “weekend warrior” means a person who doesn’t really train for what they are doing. Instead, they just go out and do the activity on the weekends. A lack of preparation can increase your risk for injury.
How do most injuries occur?
Most sports injuries occur from ill-prepared individuals who participate in an activity without first increasing their strength, endurance and flexibility. Your muscles, tendons, ligaments and other tissues need to be warmed up and trained first in order to work properly. They take on enormous strain during running and sporting activities. Without a proper warm-up and training regimen, you are more prone to injury.
Injuries increase as you age…
If you think back to when you were in your late teens, certain physical activities such as sprinting were not very difficult. As you age, your tissues become less elastic and in fact a little “drier”. When your muscle, tendon and ligament tissues have enough water, they are supple and stretchy, allowing you to take part in many activities. Keep yourself hydrated and stretch often to maintain elasticity in your muscles.
Preparing your body…
It is important to stay active and to participate in fitness and a host of other physical activities in order to be healthy and happy. With the right preparation, you can easily remain active and decrease your risk for injury. • Stretch often • Improve your strength training • Practice your coordination training • Build up your endurance training Before and after:
Knowing the correct exercises to do in preparation for certain fitness activities is key. Our physical therapists are experts in working with you to develop an exercise program to best prepare you for those weekend warrior activities. And if something were to go wrong one weekend, they have years of experience helping people rehabilitate after injuries and return to the activities they enjoy. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you get back in the game!
