Sports injuries are all too common for any athlete, no matter what sport you play. Whether you are a novice or you are a professional, you're most likely going to sustain a mild injury at some point in your sports career.
Athletes who play contact sports (sports that involve physical contact with other players) are even more likely to sustain a more serious injury; such as a broken bone, concussion, or sprain. Injuries like this can have you out of commission and benched for quite a few games.
So what can I do to prevent injury?
While there really is no end all, be all way to keep yourself injury free as an athlete, it's imperative to incorporate preventative measures before and during your practices. Research shows that about 62% of all organized sports injuries occur during practice. That's a pretty scary statistic when you think about the ratio of time athletes put into practicing, versus the amount of time spent at an actual game or meet.
Most coaches will encourage players to take small steps to keep themselves uninjured by stretching, doing low-impact workouts, and reinforcing good technique. However, there are also ways to keep yourself conditioned so that you have quicker recovery and are better equipped to protect yourself from injury.
However, if you are already injured, it make seem like this is all old news (and hindsight is of course 20/20 if you feel like you could have done more to prevent your injury). But, luckily, there are also ways to keep yourself conditioned and speed up recovery time.
Resistance Training
Enter resistance training. It may not be the sexiest term out there, but the benefits are all too appealing: "Resistance training is critical to the resolution of impairment and the recovery of function. [...] Early resistance [can improve the] restoration of balance, the development of reflex control, the redevelopment of [...] strength and endurance in injured tissues. [...]" William Kraemer, PhD, CSCS, University of Connecticut.
The beauty of resistance training is that it is one of the best ways to keep injured athletes conditioned, while they recover from a sports injury. And often, resistance training can lead to an, overall, quicker recovery. Sounds magical, right?
Where Can I Do Resistance Training?
To keep yourself from exacerbating your sustained injury, it is always best to be supervised by a trained professional when doing resistance training exercises. It is not a one-size-fits-all solution for atheletes in pain. But, if you have a decent range of mobility, and are not afraid to get you feet wet (literally), then a local swimming program or clinic may be the best fit for you.
Our specialists at SwimStrong Clinic in Cambridge are certified in physical therapy, and will guide you through your recovery journey. Contact us or take our quiz today to find out how to get better equipped to protect yourself from injury.
