Sports is being taken up by more & more people especially young ones as hobby & profession. With Gyms & fitness centres mushrooming across the country, there is a rush among general population to train hard becoming physically fit. Being fit definitely increases the productivity & also makes the person feel good about themselves. But this has also seen a spurt in sports related injuries in these group of people. Most common cause of injuries are due to overuse. These can be avoided if certain simple rules are followed.
- You cannot become fit overnight by starting exercises and pushing your body beyond its limit to get quick results. Most athletes & sports persons have years of training & hard work behind them to reach this level. Increase the intensity & duration of your exercises gradually in a phased manner to get desired result.
- Warm-up- Proper warm-up before starting any sports is essential to prevent injury. Warm-up increases the blood flow to the muscles, stretches muscles, increases flexibility to prevent injuries.
- Strengthening- Strengthening of required muscles is essential for balance & power during the sporting activity. Weak muscles may increase the stress on other parts of the body leading to problems.
- Stretching- Stiff joints are more prone to injuries during sports. Stretching of ligaments & tendons & flexibility of joints can prevent that.
- Rest- Rest is very important to allow the tissues to repair & recover. One should always have a rest day in a week in your training schedule to allow your tissues to heal.