It is the job of any physical therapist to quickly aid and rehabilitate an athlete who has injured himself. It is also part of the job to train an athlete on how to prevent re-injury. Injury prevention training and education are more important than ever as more athletes, starting at a younger age, are involved in high-impact sports.
One of the biggest lessons an athlete will learn is to not overdo themselves. Taking preventative action can reduce injures by upwards of 25%.
Not overdoing the sports training will go a long way in preventing an injury. If the muscles are fatigued they will not protect the connective tissues, which will increase the likelihood of damage to the ligaments, tendons or cartilage. If an athlete’s sports training involves a lot of long distance running, logging the amount of miles will provide a good indication of their chance of injury. The more miles logged the greater the chance of injury. It has been suggested that running over 40 miles per week increases the chance of injury.
Training on consecutive days also increases the chance of injury. Studies have shown that recovery time after a work out will lower the risk. This break in training allows the muscles and connective tissue to repair themselves.
Like anything else, athletic training needs to be done in moderation, especially with younger athletes. Incorporating a more balanced life will help not only the body, but also the mind in reaching the highest of athletic goals.