When it comes to sports injuries there is only so much we can do – sometimes things happen. Saying this there is something we can do, there are various body parts we can strengthen, warm ups we can do and precautions we can take. Not to mention the importance of keeping inflammation down through eating well and reducing stress.
All of these are factors in a healthy lifestyle and thankfully things that will help keep you mobile and healthy. First let’s start by looking at the key body parts which need to be strengthened for injury prevention – you will have probably noticed that the bulk of sports injuries are in the smaller and more delicate areas of the body like the knees, shoulders, lower back and ankles. This is because these areas are very intricate by nature and they take a lot of abuse when playing sports. Just look at Rafael Nadal for a prime example of someone who has had injuries that are typical of overuse to the smaller body parts – in his case the knees.
Strength Training
This is the first area we can focus on when trying to reduce sports injuries – namely by strengthening the body as a unit. For me this requires good shoulder strength and mobility which can be achieved through simple, compound movements. Strong and functional legs will build up the muscles around the knees (quads and hamstrings) which will serve as good protection for the impact sports gives the knees. And lastly a strong core is essential to deal with all the twisting and turning as well as endurance the lower back needs to deal with overuse injuries caused by sports.
Therefore I would recommend focusing on the following exercises when strength training for sports and injury prevention:
- Pushups – An exceptional movement to build the shoulders and core strength.
- Face Pulls – One of the best ways to strengthen the much injured rotator cuff and improve posture.
- Ab Rollouts – Builds the core from deep within giving functional strength.
- Bodyweight Squats - A great way to build strength and improve hip and knee mobility.
- Leg Extensions – this is the only exercise requiring a machine but nothing does a better job at strengthening the inner workings of the knee.
- Hamstring Rollouts – Not only a great core workout but one of the best ways to build the hamstrings from deep within.
That is all – These could be combined into one workout and of course certain substitutions can be made. For instance I like the throw in Pull-ups instead of Face Pulls and Dips in good form can be a good Pushup replacement.
Stretching and Mobility
I have written in-depth about stretching and mobility and guides can be found here and here or in my exercise eBook . It cannot be emphasised how important these two are, especially mobility when it comes to sports injury prevention. The amount of injuries that are caused by stiff unmobilised joints is endless, this can all be prevented through a simple 5-10 minute joint mobility routine.
Another great option is to do Yoga or Pilates once or twice a week, for athletes this is invaluable. It not only helps with energy flow and balance but naturally integrates all the positive aspects of joint mobilisation.
Inflammation
The primary causes of inflammation in a joint are overuse and a poor/inflammatory diet. We cause overuse by simple doing too much with the muscle or joint – this happens to the hamstrings in sports that require a lot of stop starting and sprinting, it happens to the shoulders in sports like golf or tennis. The solution is to simply give things a rest – we are not machines and our bodies can only take so much. In terms of diet things we eat or do not eat can cause chronic inflammation – too much Omega 6, or a lack of minerals and fresh food can all cause chronic inflammation. In terms of quick and easy ways to reduce inflammation we can slip certain things into our diet:
- Ginger
- Turmeric
- Garlic
- Chilli/Cayenne
- More Greens
Most of these are spices or herbs but by simply using them while cooking on a regular basis the severity of your sports injuries could be greatly reduced, it is certainly not an area to be overlooked.
Sports injuries are preventable in the majority of cases. We have to feed our body the right stuff, treat it well before and after exercising and things should take care of themselves.
—————————————-
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When it comes to sports injuries there is only so much we can do – sometimes things happen. Saying this there is something we can do, there are various body parts we can strengthen, warm ups we can do and precautions we can take. Not to mention the importance of keeping inflammation down through eating well and reducing stress.
All of these are factors in a healthy lifestyle and thankfully things that will help keep you mobile and healthy. First let’s start by looking at the key body parts which need to be strengthened for injury prevention – you will have probably noticed that the bulk of sports injuries are in the smaller and more delicate areas of the body like the knees, shoulders, lower back and ankles. This is because these areas are very intricate by nature and they take a lot of abuse when playing sports. Just look at Rafael Nadal for a prime example of someone who has had injuries that are typical of overuse to the smaller body parts – in his case the knees.
Strength Training
This is the first area we can focus on when trying to reduce sports injuries – namely by strengthening the body as a unit. For me this requires good shoulder strength and mobility which can be achieved through simple, compound movements. Strong and functional legs will build up the muscles around the knees (quads and hamstrings) which will serve as good protection for the impact sports gives the knees. And lastly a strong core is essential to deal with all the twisting and turning as well as endurance the lower back needs to deal with overuse injuries caused by sports.
Therefore I would recommend focusing on the following exercises when strength training for sports and injury prevention:
That is all – These could be combined into one workout and of course certain substitutions can be made. For instance I like the throw in Pull-ups instead of Face Pulls and Dips in good form can be a good Pushup replacement.
Stretching and Mobility
I have written in-depth about stretching and mobility and guides can be found here and here or in my exercise eBook . It cannot be emphasised how important these two are, especially mobility when it comes to sports injury prevention. The amount of injuries that are caused by stiff unmobilised joints is endless, this can all be prevented through a simple 5-10 minute joint mobility routine.
Another great option is to do Yoga or Pilates once or twice a week, for athletes this is invaluable. It not only helps with energy flow and balance but naturally integrates all the positive aspects of joint mobilisation.
Inflammation
The primary causes of inflammation in a joint are overuse and a poor/inflammatory diet. We cause overuse by simple doing too much with the muscle or joint – this happens to the hamstrings in sports that require a lot of stop starting and sprinting, it happens to the shoulders in sports like golf or tennis. The solution is to simply give things a rest – we are not machines and our bodies can only take so much. In terms of diet things we eat or do not eat can cause chronic inflammation – too much Omega 6, or a lack of minerals and fresh food can all cause chronic inflammation. In terms of quick and easy ways to reduce inflammation we can slip certain things into our diet:
Most of these are spices or herbs but by simply using them while cooking on a regular basis the severity of your sports injuries could be greatly reduced, it is certainly not an area to be overlooked.
Sports injuries are preventable in the majority of cases. We have to feed our body the right stuff, treat it well before and after exercising and things should take care of themselves.
—————————————-
Please consider Subscribing to our free articles and checking out our new eBook ‘ All About Fitness’ . If you enjoyed this article please Tweet about it.