How to Prevent Sports Related Back Injuries

16 Jan How to Prevent Sports Related Back Injuries

Is you back pain slowing your down? Don’t let it get in the way of your game. With some simple but consistent practices, you can maintain good health and a strong back free of pain. Keep your game going strong as your strengthen your core, stretch your muscles, and practice other back care to prevent potential injury.

Strengthen Your Core

Though no one enjoys the plank or getting in their crunches, it could save you from injury down the road. A strong core can better withstand repetitive motions like swinging a bat or a racket. Too many people overlook the core strengthening exercises and later suffer the consequences. A weak core leaves you susceptible to joint injuries as well as back injuries. Your core is what sustains a majority of your strength and supports your back. A solid core will not only help you prevent injury, but also perform better athletically and have better all around posture as it provides better support to you back.

Warm Up

Injury prevention starts with warming up. Before pushing yourself in a game, start with a little light cardio to get your blood flowing and your muscles warm. After the cardio, throw in a little dynamic stretching to prepare your muscles. Include core stretches, because no matter your activity your core muscles will be involved. Stiff muscles are much more likely to be strained or pulled than warmed up muscles. Take the extra ten minutes before physical activity to warm up your muscles and save them from potential injury and pain later.

Practice Better Posture

A large majority of back pain comes from poor posture. This includes sports. Football players for example, duck their heads and tackle, spending much of their game hunched over. Another example would be a catcher in a baseball game who spends hours couched and hunched over. It may not take a toll after just one game, but over time those hours add up and take their toll on your back. Do your best to maintain your posture not matter your sport or position. If you do play a position that is particularly taxing on your back, take a little extra time to stretch when you can. Prepare for the extra strain on your back with a stronger core and sneaking in stretches between plays.  

Maintain Body Weight

It stands to reason that the more weight your back has to support the more strain will be put on it. Maintaining a healthy weight and living an active lifestyle will save your all kinds of pain, including back pain. Practicing sports is a great way to get healthy and maintain your health. If you’re just picking up a sport, start small and work your way up. As you get more comfortable, your body will too. One of the biggest mistakes made by athletes is to go too hard too fast. For example, runners shouldn’t jump into a ten mile run without building up their mileage.