Anytime there is a change in activity -- whether someone is starting a new activity or returning to a prior sport after an injury or season change -- there is a risk for overuse-type injuries.
Examples of these are strains, sprains, tendon issues and stress fractures.
Dr. John V. Morasso, a sports medicine physician at Detroit Medical Center, said there are some tips and best practices to follow to limit or prevent sports injuries.
For a full breakdown, watch the video above.
1. Listen to your body and trust your instincts.
Morasso said if you are getting increasing pain during or after exercise, this is your body’s way of telling you whatever activity you are doing may be too much.
“If you keep pushing through the pain, you increase the risk of injury setbacks,” he said. “Think slow and steady and ramp up activity as your body allows.”
2. Get proper hydration.
Morasso said our bodies are comprised of more than 60% water. Water helps keep your joints and soft tissues lubricated and flexible.
“As a general rule of thumb, if you take your weight in pounds and divide that in half, this is the amount of water needed in fluid ounces per day,” he said.
Morasso added that this is what’s needed every day for someone at rest who is sitting in class or at a desk job. Any fluid loss from heat or sweat needs to be added to the baseline amount.
“It’s best to slowly sip this throughout the day to give your body the chance to absorb what it needs,” he said. “Caffeine and alcohol are diuretics, which means they cause you to lose fluid in the form of urine. These types of fluid don’t count towards your goal and can make your hydration status worse.”
Morasso said this formula is a general guideline and if you have medical conditions (especially involving the heart or kidneys, or if you take prescription medications), you should discuss with your doctor what the appropriate amount of fluid is best for you.
3. Do dynamic stretching and warm-ups.
“This helps distribute the fluid and gets the elastic properties of soft tissues working well,” Morasso said.
Morasso said it’s also important to differentiate when a sports injury is something you can treat at home or whether you need to see a doctor.
“For at-home treatment, we’ve been told for years to use the R.I.C.E. method (rest, ice, compression, elevation),” he said. “New research now shows the acronym P.E.A.C.E. is more effective, and it should guide the healing immediately after an injury for the first few days.”
The P.E.A.C.E. method is broken down in the following way, Morasso said.
P: Protect. “Complete or prolonged rest isn’t usually needed and can actually delay healing,” he said. “Movement helps tissue know how and where to heal appropriately. Movement and activity should be progressed by listening to your pain and letting pain guide you.”
E: Elevate. “It’s important to elevate an injured limb higher than the heart when able,” Morasso said.
A: Avoid anti-inflammatory drugs or icing. “This is the biggest shocker for most people,” he said. “Ice and NSAIDs are effective at blocking pain, but then we can’t listen to our bodies on what type of movement is helpful and what type is causing harm. Ice and anti-inflammatories can also decrease blood flow and inflammation. Since inflammation is the first stage of healing, if we block this response, we may delay and prolong our body’s natural healing capabilities.”
C: Compression. “An elastic bandage can help reduce excessive swelling,” Morasso said.
E: Education. Stay informed and educated for an active approach to recovery.
“If you are unable to progress through the above, or if you have bruising, excessive swelling or restriction of range of motion, it is a good idea to get it checked out by a sports medicine physician to see if you need additional imaging, rehabilitation or other interventions,” Morasso said.
Sports medicine is for everyone
There’s a common misconception that sports medicine physicians only treat athletes, but that’s not the case. They often help patients with a wide variety of musculoskeletal issues accomplish their unique goals.
A sports medicine physician’s goal is to get you back to doing the things you want, or need to do, as quickly and safely as possible. They commonly work with non-operative physicians, surgeons, physical therapists and athletic trainers to help you develop your treatment plan.
For more information about sports medicine, or to find a physician, click or tap here.