Sports and Nutrition
Author: Monica Liza
Since an injury causes loss on both fronts, one on the
body
issue which needs time to repair and recoup and two on the
time
loss which could have been put to better use for training
and
betterment. It is very similar to a financial loss, one you
lose
the money, second you spend more time to make it up. Serious
sportsmen fear injuries more than anything else.
Some hard facts:
- Over 25,000 Americans sprain their ankles daily - 1 out of
every 17 athletes suffer sports injury while playing the
sport.
- More than 50% of these injuries are preventable.
There are a few preventive measures that could be taken to
prevent sports injuries, but most sportspersons do not
practice
them. These measures are not yet popular. Some techniques to
prevent sports injuries are:
1. Good warm up: A good and gradual warm up would help
increase
the body temperature gradually, increasing the circulation
and
oxygen supply to the muscles. It prepares the body and the
mind
together for hectic physical activity that may follow. 2.
Good
cool down: Like a good warm up, a good cool down in
immensely
important to bring down the body temperature. It prevents
pooling of blood in excessively used muscles and limbs and
prevents build up of toxic matter like lactic acid in the
muscles. It relaxes the muscles and your body entirely
fighting
away the stiffening and tightening.
However a good magical procedure to prevent sports injury by
50%
is stretching. By making stretching a consistent part of a
sportsman's exercise regimen, you could prevent major
injuries.
Stretching is a simple process of relaxing your body and
most
sportsmen tend to put it away as it is too simple and hence
ineffective. This is a gross error in judgment, as
stretching is
vital to any exercise regimen, sportsmen or not.
Stretching improves flexibility and flexible muscles are
prone
to much lesser injuries. The benefits of stretching are yet
to
be realized by most sportsmen and coaches. Those who have
already incorporated stretching are getting invaluable
results
from it by staying injury free.
How Stretching Works?
Stretching increases the length of tendons and muscles,
resulting in increase of "range of movement". This implies
that
muscles and tendons can stretch a little further before
injury
inflicts them.
Lets us suppose the muscles of your neck are stiff and your
ability to look around or turn your head is limited. While
participating in your favorite sport, if you neck has to go
beyond its normal range of movement, it would result in
muscle
tear or strain. If you do regular stretching of your neck
muscles, its range of movement would improve and you might
not
be prone to such injuries in the future because your neck
now
has a better range of movement.
Stretching promotes recovery and prevents soreness.
Stretching
also makes sure that your muscles and tendons are in good
working shape. Stretching in short conditions your muscles
and
conditioned muscles are prone to fewer injuries because they
can
handle more stress of sports and exercise.
There is certainly more to stretching than commonly
believed.
All the best for an injury free life.
About the Author
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Specialized in Herbs, Vitamins, Enzymes, Diet & Weight loss and
Nutritional supplements
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