Remaining active is an important part of a healthy lifestyle.
It can help you maintain a healthy weight, reduce blood pressure, build strong bones, relieve stress, increase flexibility, and help to maintain good posture.
Recreational sport is a great way to enjoy the many benefits of physical activity, whether you prefer hockey, golf, tennis, biking, running or any other sport.
Regardless of which one you do, the following are ten tips you should follow in order to avoid injury and get the most from your favorite sport.
Warm up
Before jumping in the pool, hitting the field or picking up a golf club, take a full twenty minutes to warm up. Your warm-up should include deep breathing exercises, gentle stretching and range of motion exercises, as well as a brisk walk or easy jog to loosen and warm the muscles and joints.
Learn the proper technique
Learn the right technique for your sport from the beginning. Using the wrong sport-specific technique can create incorrect muscle memory and can make it difficult to break bad habits. Poor technique can also cause injury to your joints and muscles.
Use the right equipment
Make sure your equipment is the right fit, height and capacity for you to avoid a sport related injury. Recreational athletes should have their equipment professionally fitted and checked before starting out.
Avoid overtraining
Make sure you are not doing too much or going too fast when starting a new exercise. Over-training is one of the most common causes of recreational athletic injuries. Take your time and work up to it slowly before pushing yourself too hard. Remember – rest is as important as training. Take a training break and give your body a chance to recover.
Cool down
Cooling down after a workout is just as important as warming up. Take 20 minutes for a brisk walk or slow jog, and stretch out your muscles and joints before commencing formal exercise.
Drink fluids
Drink plenty of fluids before, during and after physical activity – even in cold weather. Remember that once you are thirsty, you are already starting to dehydrate. Dehydration affects your energy level and your physical functioning.
Strength training is important
Strength training will help you keep your spine and other body joints functioning optimally. It will also build muscle that is an important shock absorber and helps to prevent strains and sprains.
Check your Attitude
Not every athlete brings home a medal, but they are all winners. The right attitude is good for your performance and your overall health. Most importantly, make sure you have fun!
Maximize muscle and joint function
Maintaining good muscle and joint range of motion and mobility will contribute to your athletic performance and help prevent injury. Restrictions in muscle and joint functioning can hamper your technique and may lead to painful strains and sprains.
Chiropractic care plays a key role in increasing your body’s physical potential. As you participate in various sports, your body will be able to better handle the stress you put it under, and if an injury does occur, the time it takes to heal would be significantly less.
