Dodging Sports Injuries

While participation in sports helps you stay healthy and fit with lifelong benefits, it also increases your risk of being injured. Most injuries are simple cuts and bruises, but some are more serious, such as strains and fractures, head injuries, dehydration and heat exhaustion. Before heading out to the ball field, courts or bike path, take these precautions to avoid a trip to the emergency room.

Warm up and cool down
Ease into your activity by stretching and flexing key muscles and doing light aerobics, such as jogging or jumping jacks. This prepares the body for more intense activity. Warm-up exercises literally "warm up" muscles and soft tissue, making them more flexible to prevent muscle pulls and strains.

"Warming up increases flexibility and elasticity of muscles, and reduces the risk of abrupt tears," asserts Brad Kuipers, rehabilitation coordinator for Holland Hospital's Sports Medicine/Performance Training Program. "It helps get the blood and circulation going, which is easier on the heart than a sudden jolt of activity."

Likewise, cool down exercises after a workout help loosen muscles that may have tightened. Stretching warm muscles elongates them and increases flexibility.

Choose the right gear
Make sure you have the right sports gear and know how to use it properly. Mouth guards, helmets, athletic supporters, eye protection, shin and wrist guards and knee padding are all designed to protect body parts from injury. Choose supportive shoes that are designed for your sport.

As backyard trampolines have increased in popularity, so have injuries among children along the Lakeshore. "We see quite a few injuries every spring from children falling off trampolines," says Michael Dean, MD, of the Shoreline Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Clinic of Holland. "Usually it occurs from more than one child jumping at a time and the smaller one is catapulted off the trampoline. To prevent these injuries, put the trampoline in the ground so that it's at surface level, or install safety netting," he advises.

Stay hydrated
Give your body more of what it needs during strenuous workouts or when the temperature soars.

"It is important to drink water on a schedule, not just when thirst is present, because once the thirst mechanism is triggered, dehydration is already a risk," says Sandi Purdy, Holland Hospital registered dietitian. She says water is fine for exercise lasting an hour or less, but a sports drink with electrolytes and less than 10 percent carbohydrates is best for more intense workouts.

Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are dangerous conditions that can be fatal if untreated. Look for symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, weakness and confusion. Stop playing, cool off with ice or cold liquids, and get out of the heat and rest.

Rest between workouts
Many injuries result from overtraining. Be sure to give your body time to recover between workouts. "When you work out heavily, it traumatizes tissue. That's why it's so important to make sure you take days off from high-impact activity and allow tissue to heal," explains Dr. Dean. "A good way to avoid overtraining is cross-training with lower impact activities, such as swimming or using an elliptical machine."

Listen to your body
Forget the "No Pain–No Gain" slogan unless you can distinguish between good and bad pain. Muscle soreness from a hard workout is perfectly normal. It means you're working and strengthening your muscles. But if you feel joint pain in the knees, hips or shoulders, stop! This can signal a pulled or torn ligament or tissue that requires medical attention. If you feel fatigued, out of breath or dizzy, stop and rest. You can conquer your goal another day!

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