Injury Prevention Tips for Football Players
The most common football injuries are strains, tendinitis, bursitis, muscle cramps, contusions and cartilage damage. Some of the most common causes of these injuries are overexertion during practice, improper equipment and poor conditioning.
It is important to know what can cause injury to your body in order to avoid it. Football players should never take part in practice if they have been injured during a game. Playing football with an injury will only make it worse. Football players should also keep their bodies in good condition by maintaining their weight, eating a balanced diet and doing regular exercise.
Treatment for these types of football injuries varies depending on the severity and location of the injury. Most treatments include rest, cold compress and the application of ice packs. If the injury is severe or does not improve after conservative treatment it may be necessary to consider surgery or physical therapy for long-term improvement.
Prevention is the best medicine for any disease, condition, illness, or injury. Luckily, many football-related injuries, and sports-related injuries in general, can be prevented.
In fact, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, more than 920,000 under the age of 18 were treated in medical clinics for football-related injuries, most of which could have been prevented. It is also true that unavoidable accidental injuries occur with any sport, even with the best preventative measures.
The following are the most common and effective preventative measures athletes can take to prevent, or at the very least, reduce the risk of such injuries occurring:
- Stretching
- Adequate Hydration
- Avoiding overtraining
- Implementing a warm-up and cooldown regimen, both during games, training sessions, practices, and workouts
- Performing adaptive strength training exercises
- Following prehab protocols (i.e., preventative rehabilitation exercises)
- Learning proper tackling techniques
- Ensuring that your equipment fits properly
- Having regular check-ups with your doctor, physiotherapist, and trainer
The most common ways for injuries to occur outside of accidental happenings or traumatic impacts are a lack of hydration, tightness & stiffness due to lack of stretching, overtraining, and taking part in activity when you’re not properly warmed up.
All of the above are surefire ways to increase your risk of injury. Combatting them is the recipe for prevention.
The speed at which one tends to an injury has a direct correlation to the quality and speed of healing. In contrast, ignoring symptoms, especially of injuries such as concussions, can lead to severe complications.
One of the most important things is to seek timely care. If symptoms of an injury persist, additional medical attention should be obtained.
Following preventative tips, as discussed, can significantly reduce the risk of football-related injuries for the athlete.
