Sports injuries can happen to athletes of any level, be it minors, amateurs or professionals. We might all think that the superstar athletes of today are indestructible, and while there is some validity to such thinking, especially when it relates to younger athletes, the real reason why injuries to professional athletes occur less often than they do to non-professional athletes relates to preparation.
Professional athletes who are paid millions of dollars to play a game take the utmost care of their bodies because they know what they have can be lost within an instance due to an injury, and a single injury can be devastating to his or her career. Major sporting franchises have the best of the best training staffs, medical personnel and trainers on hand to ensure that their athletes know exactly how important it is to keep their bodies in game ready condition. These professionals can help you target specific areas of your body you want to strengthen. Most gyms will provide access to a personal trainer on staff and you do not need to be a pro athlete by any means.
What that all boils down to is preparation. Stretching and nutrition play vital roles in maintaining an athlete's health. Knowing when and how to warm up are just as important as going to the gym on a regular basis; so too is being able to cool down properly after playing a game of pick-up basketball or going for a jog. There's a reason why we need to stretch our bodies before taking part in any form of physical activity and if you don't stretch properly it will have an impact on you the moment you start getting physical. We are fond of the 'The Ultimate Warm-up Routine' provided by Muscleandfitness.com.
There are four main aspects to stretching. First, stretching improves muscle development. Second, stretching increases your range of motion. Third, stretching reduces injury, and fourth, stretching warms you up. Stretching warms up the muscles and encourages blood flow in your system, which gives your muscles nutrients and oxygen supply to keep you going longer than you would if you didn't stretch.
Not too many people think that stretching should be done before working out and they realize that's a mistake as soon as they start cramping up on the field. Conversely, cooling down after you're done working out or playing football and making your way back home is just as important because your body needs to time to cool down and come back down from the high it was just on. Cooling down assists your body's recovery, as it lets your body go back into its pre-workout state. That cooling down period helps a lot in allowing your body to recover and avoid any serious injury.
If you remember to stretch and cool down you shouldn't have any worries about suffering a sports injury the next time you step up to the plate for your company softball tournament or hit the gym for a quick workout.
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