Muscle Injury In Sports Medicine

What do all Athletes have in common? Each one of them have 640 muscles in their body. Being an athlete means there is an inherent danger of injury and the most common is the muscle injury, either sprain or strain. Each athlete has the ability to learn how to prevent any injury, and they shouldn't wait for one to happen to educate themselves. Sports medicine is a crossover from scientific research into medical procedures. With a basic understanding of it athletes can help prevent many injuries from occurring and hopefully prolong the inevitable from happening. Sports medicine is here to help those athletes who have unfortunately injured themselves nurse their injuries back to full health. From the team’s doctor or trainer to a general practitioner, …show more content…
In order to prevent muscle injury “try not to sit in one position for too long. Take frequent breaks to move position and use a chair that provides good support for your lower back or use a pillow for support. Try to keep your knees level with your hips” (Pietrangelo). There are hundreds of little things an athlete can change in their everyday lifestyle like losing any excess weight, maintaining good posture, finding different ways to alleviate stress on their back and making sure to not take a bad fall (Pietrangelo). During any physical activity, athlete’s muscles are at the highest risk for damage. From playing a sport to moving things around a house, muscles can become strained. If there are heavy items that need moving try to lift the objects careful by putting most of the weight on both legs and be sure not to lift and twist at the same time. Before any sporting event be sure to wear proper footwear. Athletic shoes should fit so there is plenty of ankle support while running. Stretching is the most effective way of preventing muscle injuries. An athlete should stretch every muscle before a game so their body is loose and it will be easier for the joints to move. If the muscles are not warmed up by stretching, going straight into a workout does not give muscles enough time to adjust to the speed of a workout and it will most likely result in an injury. Melinda Pietrangelo says “Regular exercise can keep your muscles healthy and strong, but proper techniques are also crucial in preventing muscle strains. Always stretch and warm up before and after engaging in physical activity”(Pietrangelo). Warm ups and cool downs are essential for a healthy and physically fit muscle system. By taking the necessary precautions, an athlete’s body has the best chance of staying injury