COURSES | FITNESS & INJURY PREVENTION
Tips for Exercising Safely
There's hardly an athlete alive -- "weekend," amateur, or professional -- who hasn't known the pain, disappointment and frustration that can result from a fitness-related injury. While some accidents are beyond our control, the vast majority of fitness injuries can be prevented by following these guidelines for exercising safely.
Warm Up/Cool Down
The most important times for preventing fitness injuries occur while you're not even engaged in your activity. The periods before and after exercise are critical times for preventing unnecessary pain and injury. By "warming up" for 10-15 minutes prior to exercise with gentle activities that are specific to football you will allow your body to become accustomed to the extreme movements and changes of pace that you are going to expose it to.
Warming up helps you in two ways; firstly it allows you raise your heart rate slowly which lets your body change its primary source of energy from short-term sources like glycogen to long-term sources like body fat. This allows you to perform better for longer. Secondly it also lets your body get used to the movements you’ll be doing which helps prevent injury. Why not try out movement like kicking or turning gently during your next warm up?
Cooling down helps your body become more efficient at transporting waste products away from your muscles. If you’re training hard the last thing you want is to have the effects minimised by a poor cool down that lets waste build up around your muscles. Cooling down also promotes oxygen delivery to your muscles which is essential for muscle repair and prevention of injury.
Stretch
Gentle stretching is actually a part of the warm-up/cool-down process. Stretching before exercise limbers tight muscles and improves joint flexibility thereby reducing your risk of sprains and tears. Concentrate on stretching those muscle groups used in your particular activity. For example, footballers will want to concentrate on stretching out the legs but don’t forget your torso and your neck.
Before exercise research has shown that slow, controlled dynamic stretching is beneficial whilst static stretching for a few minutes after exercise is also recommended to prevent muscle soreness and to promote recovery. If you are not fully recovered before your next session, the chance of injury increases.
Use the Right Equipment
Improper equipment such as worn-out football boots scan cause more harm than is generally realised. Always check your equipment before and after your activity and be sure to make replacements or repairs promptly. Your old football boots may bring you "good luck," but they can also bring you an ankle or leg injury if they fail to support your foot properly; be sure that your equipment is in top condition before risking your health and safety. The sudden increase in broken toes in football has derived from a ‘fashion’ of wearing boots that are too small so players don’t have to do up their laces. You won’t look trendy on the treatment table!
Use Common Sense
The most important factor in fitness injury prevention is common sense. Make sure your muscles are conditioned before engaging in vigorous activities, and use the right equipment and available safety devices. Fitness should be fun. The best way to enjoy your activity and prevent unnecessary injuries is to use your common sense.
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