This article factors in the essential considerations for the better protection of the spine during sports engagements. Learn about these precautions to save your spine from sport-related injuries.
Tips to Prevent Spinal Injuries While Engaging in Sports
Sports are very important for our entire bodily health. Sport activities are the most entertaining way to work out and strengthen the body.
But if you aren’t careful enough, participating in sports might also become the very reason for temporary to acute physical injuries including the ones related to the spine.
Spinal injuries from any sport can be devastating as the backbone of our body is the most essential part; It connects our brain to the rest of the body.
Thus, consider the following tips to keep your spine safe.
Work on Your Core Strength
Our entire body is made up of different types of cells and tissues. These tissues give rise to many structures for example bones, muscles, ligaments, tendons, nerves, etc.
The muscles or the group of muscles that are responsible for stabilizing and controlling the pelvis and spinal regions are called the core.
So, if you want to keep spine-related injuries from sports at bay, you have to work on core strength.
To strengthen your core, you must do all the exercises that are concerned regularly. To learn about workouts for core strengthening, talk to a board-certified physical, or specifically core strengthening, trainer.
Wear Protective Gear
While playing sports, don’t forget about safety measures.
In every sports activity, the players have to follow certain instructions and guidelines as precautionary measures to avert potential physical injuries during the game.
Warm Up and Stretch
Some sports, like running, high jump, etc., require a highly flexible and balanced body. If your body or spinal muscles are suffering from stiffness, don’t forget to flex them before you start any sport.
Warm-up and stretch before you participate. It will increase the circulation of the blood throughout your body and promote a higher level of muscular flexibility including the core muscles.
It is crucial to reduce the chances of spinal injuries.
Don’t Over Exercise
If you are an athlete and you have recently started over-exercising to increase your stamina so your performance can go up, you might end up straining the body.
Never ever overdo yourself. Too much exercise than the body’s current capacity to tolerate can lead to tissue damage and injuries that will impair the ability to do well in a sport activity considerably.
Before you do any exercise to strengthen your body, ensure that you do it under the supervision of a board-certified and well-trained physical trainer. And then, also make sure that you do it in moderation or as per the recommendations.
Avert Spinal Traumas
While playing sports, if you feel at any moment that you might involve yourself in some trauma, back off instantly, for example, running to catch a ball over uneven ground. Don’t think of scoring high or something like that as health must be considered on top of everything.
Further, players, while engaging in sports, might also feel resentful and break into fights. If you sense any such possibilities, ensure that you save yourself from such events well in time so you don’t end up sustaining any serious injuries.
If you have already involved yourself in such traumas and want to meet with an experienced doctor, refer to the following link: best sports injury doctor in Delhi.
Get Adequate Sleep
Sleep is very important. When a person sleeps, their body goes into the rejuvenation and revitalisation mode. This process during sleep helps the body recover from all the day’s traumas and get better once again for a new day ahead.
So, if you want to stay active and fit throughout your sport participation so that you can play mindfully and avoid injuries, get enough sleep before your game.
If you couldn’t sleep well last night, it is best to avoid sports today. Sleep deficiency is the major cause of spinal injuries in sports. In case it is important for you to play today, take the advice of a Sr. orthopedic doctor first.
Eat a Healthy Diet
The food we take inside determines our physical strength, along with sleep and exercise. Thus, maintain a healthy diet regularly. Avoid low nutritional and high sugar content like junk foods and soft drinks.
If possible, always prefer home-cooked, safe, and nutrition-packed food. If you live in a hot climate, make sure you don’t consume anything that might increase body heat, like non-vegetarian foods, hot beverages, etc.
Eat light and easy-to-digest items. Don’t fill your belly a lot in one go. Instead, do it in little portions multiple times a day. These healthy eating habits will impact your health positively in the long term, making you less prone to spinal injuries during sports engagements.
Drink Enough Water
Don’t let your body suffer from dehydration. Our body is full of fluid content because it is vital for proper functioning.
From ears, eyes, kidneys, hearts, lungs, and nasal cavities to every other organ—everything inside the body needs water for the production of body-friendly fluids.
Dehydration causes intense dryness and internal tissue damage and even cellular death under extreme circumstances. Hence, dehydrate your body well so the body is well-lubricated, including the core muscles and making you less prone to spinal injuries during intense activities like sports.
Maintain a Good Body Weight
If you are overweight and you are playing any form of sport, you are at a higher risk of falling and sustaining back injuries. This is so because obesity causes flexibility and balance-related issues in the affected person.
People with the right weight are often good at maintaining balance along with high physical flexibility. So, reduce your obesity. Consider the following advice.
- Don’t overeat.
- Only eat as much as necessary for a healthy body and avoid binge eating.
- Drink enough water.
- Exercise regularly.
- Don’t take stress.
- Abandon a sedentary lifestyle.
If still there is no improvement in obesity, consult a specialist to rule out potential disorders in this direction.
Conclusion
Pay attention to these pieces of advice and help you prevent spinal injuries during sports. The spine is the most essential part of the body so never forget to take better care of the same.
To consult the most experienced spine specialist, refer to the following link: spine specialist doctor in Delhi.