Tips to Minimize Summer Sports Injuries
Increased activity during the summer is also linked to an increased risk of sports injuries. Start summer sports gradually and take nutraceuticals that reinforce joint health.
Most people are less active during the winter and may experience a loss of flexibility and strength. When the summer arrives, some may try to quickly return to strenuous sports without properly preparing their bones and joints. This can lead to unexpected injuries that disrupt summer plans.
The Most Common Summer Sports Injuries
Injuries that commonly occur during the summer includes:
- Sprains
- Strains
- Repetitive stress (overuse) injuries
A sprain refers to the tearing or stretching of a ligament, which is a type of flexible connective tissue that holds bones together at a joint. Sprains often affect the foot, ankle, knee, wrist, or thumb.
A strain is another word for a pulled muscle. Commonly reported muscle strains develop in the hamstrings, calves, and back. Sports that are typically associated with sprains or strains are football, soccer, basketball, wrestling, cheerleading, boxing, basketball, and hockey.
Repetitive stress injuries happen when people keep repeating the same body movement without taking sufficient breaks or continuing to play sports while in pain. The most frequent repetitive stress injuries include:
- Runner’s knee – damaged tendons in the kneecap
- Golfer’s and tennis elbow – irritation of the tendons in the elbow joint
- Stress fractures – broken bones in the shins, feet, or pelvic bone
- Shin splints – irritation of the tendons and muscles surrounding the shins
- Rotator cuff tendonitis – inflammation of the tendons in the shoulder
- Achilles tendonitis – inflammation of the tendon that connects the calf muscle to the heel
Tips to Minimize Injuries
Whether your sporting events are for competition or recreational purposes, several tips can help you avoid unexpected injuries. Here are the top three:
- Increase Your Activity Level Slowly
If you were less active during the winter, start summer sports gradually to help your body get back in shape. Begin with low-impact sports (e.g., skating) before returning to high-contact sports (e.g., football, basketball, tennis).
Remember to perform a dynamic warm-up routine before each sporting activity and cool down afterward to help minimize injury risk. Also, make sure to wear appropriate protective gear for contact sports.
- Eat Healthy and Stay Hydrated
Your body needs plenty of nutrients and fluids, including sports drinks, to maintain physical agility, endurance, and stamina while playing summer sports. Dehydration and low electrolyte levels are common issues that are associated with muscle cramps and joint tissue injury.
These issues can be avoided by providing your body with proper nourishment, and staying hydrated helps lubricate your muscles and joints, which lowers the risk of injuries.
- Take Beneficial Nutraceuticals
Strenuous sports can cause muscle exhaustion and joint distress, especially when you play summer sports regularly. Additionally, minor muscle, joint, or bone injuries may occur during sports and then cause discomfort later on.
To minimize your risk of injury and long-term discomfort, your body needs to replenish its supply of specialized growth factors that are involved in the body’s joint tissue and bone tissue rebuilding processes. Ostinol® is an unmatched nutraceutical that contains a patented growth-factor complex. This is the only oral growth-factor complex currently available.
Ostinol® InstaJOINT is powered by the same specialized growth-factor complex as the Ostinol® line of products, but it also contains two fast-acting herbal ingredients. Together, these products support long-term physical health, keeping you in the game this summer.