With school back in session, parents can resume their regular workouts While the kids can dive back into athletic training for their favorite fall sports. Of course, your body is meant to move. But, without proper care, this sudden increase in your level of physical activity could leave you dealing with foot and ankle pain or injuries.
Want to win at the gym or on the field, without worrying about pain, inflammation and injury? Here’s what you need to do: follow our Medford, OR podiatrists’ tips for preventing sports injuries. Together, we’ll help you avoid these common causes of sports injuries.
What are the most common sports injuries to avoid? ![little boy playing baseball]()
For our grown up and child foot problems patients, the most
common sports injuries we see in the office include foot and ankle strains and sprains; shin splints; Achilles tendonitis; and fractures or stress fractures of the foot and ankle. (Tween and teen athletes coming in with heel pain are often facing Sever’s disease, a condition that only affects this age group due to strain on the growth plate in their heels.)
But what are the main reasons why you get hurt when you’re just trying to get or stay in shape? There are a few common causes of sports injuries that we can usually prevent. First, we see patients developing painful inflammation when they suddenly increase the duration or intensity of their workouts, without giving their bodies a chance to adjust to the new physical challenges. Injuries can also be a problem if you rush or avoid warmups and cool downs before and after exercise. (Stretching should always be a par of your pre-and-post workout routine as well.)
And don’t underestimate the importance of your shoes in preventing sports injuries. Wearing shoes that need replacing can increase your risk for a sports injury. Similarly, wearing shoes that aren’t designed for your specific sport makes you vulnerable to problems. However, in some cases, your very foot shape could work against you during athletic training—especially if you have flat feet or high arches. So, when that’s a concern, we may need to add custom orthotics to any shoes you wear in order to help prevent problems when you train.
7 Keys to Preventing Sports Injuries
Here’s our Medford podiatrists’ guide to preventing sports injuries:
1. Train with care. Instead of doing the same workout or movement over and over, make sure to incorporate cardio, strength training and stretching into your weekly routine. (We call this cross training.) Also, even if you’re switching up your workouts every day, try and embrace at least one or two rest days each week so that your bones and muscles can recover from the impact of earlier exercise routines.
2. Move through the body. Each day you train, focus on one muscle group, and switch to a different area the next day to help prevent overuse injuries.
3. Always stretch. Before exercise, engage in both static and dynamic stretches (performed in motion) in order to warm up your muscles and prepare them for the workout ahead. Movements like jumping jacks, arm circles and butt kicks are all great choices. After completing a workout, slowly cool down, then be sure to stretch again to keep muscles from getting tight and pulling on your tendons, increasing your risk for painful inflammation.
4. Focus on your shoes. As mentioned earlier, you should look for sport-specific footwear that is designed with plenty of support and cushioning. And replace athletic shoes regularly, as preventing sports injuries is very difficult when you’re wearing worn-out shoes that do nothing to protect your feet from the impact of exercise.
5. Think about orthotics. In contrast to over-the-counter shoe pads or inserts, custom orthotics are crafted to support your feet’s unique areas of need. When wearing your orthotics during training, you’ll not only reduce your injury risk, but you may even improve your athletic performance and efficiency.
6. Listen to your body. Training through pain is always a bad idea. Remember: discomfort during or after exercise is often your body’s way of telling you that things are going wrong. So, when that happens, take a day or two off of exercise, allowing your body to rest. Then, if the pain doesn’t resolve, it’s time to request an appointment with Dr. Devin Dimond or Dr. Evan Merrill to rule out injury.
7. Follow your doctor’s instructions. A final key to preventing sports injuries in the future is allowing current injuries to fully heal before getting back into exercise. So, if we find an injury when you come into the office, follow all directions for limits on physical activity during your recovery period. While we know you’ll be anxious to get back into action, rushing your return to exercise could just leave you hurting more and sidelined for longer time periods.
Now, the goal of these guidelines for preventing sports injuries is to keep you safe and active. However, sometimes injuries happen, even when you train with care. So, what should you do if you suspect you or our child has sustained a sports injury? Stop training right away and request an immediate appointment in the office. From comprehensive exams to x-rays, we have all the tools needed to diagnose a sports injury. And, with the help of our experienced podiatrists in Southern Oregon, we’re also prepared to get you back into action as quickly as possible, without compromising your health or recovery!