At CSO Wellness & Rehabilitation, our physical therapist can provide professional assistance in preventing and treating sports injuries. A balanced lifestyle includes working out your body along with healthy habits. Although exercise is important to good health, people often get injured during sports or other physical activities. These can be acute (immediate) or chronic (developing with time). Whichever the case, there are measures you can take to prevent and treat sports injuries. Such injuries can spread across the body but there are common parts that seem to be especially susceptible to trauma, including the following:

• Ankle: Combining three joints together along with an intricate system of muscles, bones, and cartilage, the ankle often absorbs the brunt of force in most sports.
• Elbow: Some sports require repeated motions of one specific body part. Those like baseball and volleyball see injuries to the elbow as the joint between the upper and lower arm is being overworked.
• Knee: Similar to the ankle, the knee is responsible for hinging together the thigh and lower leg to absorb impact. Knee pain can be caused by ‘jumper’s knee’, as seen in basketball, or ‘runner’s knee’, seen in running environments. Common injuries sustained to this area are meniscus tears and anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear.
• Head: The skull does as much as it can protecting the complex structures in our brain but impacts like concussions are sometimes unavoidable in sports settings.

Being aware of the environment you place yourself in and understanding the possible outcomes is a crucial step in taking care of yourself. Before engaging in a sport, it’s beneficial to follow tips for preventing injuries that can be beneficial in the long run.

• Drink plenty of water throughout your day, especially before and after extensive physical activity
• Educate yourself on the sport or activity you are partaking in
• Wear the proper protective equipment/attire when needed
• Stretch before and after every workout. Warm up the body before, cool it down after
• Take it Slow. Walking before breaking out in a sprint, for example, gives your body time to adjust to the movement
• Learn and execute the proper techniques
• Listen to your body, don’t push it too far
• Mix up your routine! Don’t do the same activity year round. Your body craves a combination of aerobic exercise, strength training, and flexibility

In the unfortunate event of an injury, seek assistance from specialized medical professionals who can aid in your complete recovery, allowing you to return to your sport or activity at full capacity. Call 720-540-7374 to book an appointment with our physical therapist to help with preventing or treating your sports injuries. The Center for Spine and Orthopedics is here to help you with all of your spine, orthopedic, and physical therapy services!