The Latest Research on Who Gets Injured and Why

Man with knee painInjuries have been a part of athletics since the beginning of time. Common to rough contact sports like football and rugby, even less confrontational sports like baseball and basketball have more than their fair share of sidelined players. The epidemic of both serious and non-serious sports trauma extends from elementary-aged participants to high school players to college athletes to the professional ranks. It can be found in the field of serious play and in the backyards of men and women simply trying to stay fit.

There will likely never come a time when we can eliminate injury from the sports world, but by having a greater understanding of how and why damage occurs, we can prevent as much injury as possible. For those who have already been injured, receiving physiotherapy Mississauga allows injured athletes to get back on the field without compromising their health. By keeping sports-related injury to a minimum, players may be able to extend their sports lifestyle long into adulthood.

Too Much Sport

According to a recent Swiss research report, too much weekly physical activity could be as harmful to teens as too little. In America, a big push is being rolled out to try and get kids out of the house and into the world of exercise. While this push is intended to stem the tide of obesity that is swallowing the country whole, it may be worth pointing out the need for caution and prudence. In surveying young Switzerland sports participants, the study found that 14 hours a week may be the magic number. At this level, teens get the maximum health benefits of participatory sports without significantly increasing the chance for injury, stress, and anxiety. Of course, that works out to two hours a day, which is much more activity than the average American teen gets in 2013.

Too Little Muscle

For a long time, stretching has been promoted as one of the best ways to avoid an injury on the playfield. New research, however, indicates that careful strength training may be superior to stretching when it comes to preventing injuries. A comprehensive analysis was performed by the Institute of Sports Medicine in Copenhagen. Looking at more than 25 studies that included nearly 30,000 participants, the researchers found very little link between a stretching program and decreased injury rates. They did find, however, that balancing exercises aimed at improving joint stability reduced injury rates by 45 percent. Even more starting, strength training programs reduced sports injury by 68 percent.

Overuse

According to the STOP Sports Injuries campaign, overuse is one of the most common causes of serious sports damage. Though some afflictions happen in an instant and others by pushing the body beyond its capabilities, overuse seems to be the greatest factor among those who have injured themselves. This points to a need for greater awareness when it comes to proper rest and recovery, especially as it affects children and older adults. By making this type of rest a priority, school organizations, pro teams, athletes, and parents can make the playfield a safer place.

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  1. Thank you for stepping to to the need!! You are appreciated! 😀

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