Accelerate Health

The vast majority of our clients at Accelerate Health are athletes recovering from sports injuries. Some of the most common sports injuries we see are shin splints, plantar fasciitis, psoas strains and lower back injuries. We want our clients to recover as quickly as possible, but it’d be best if they avoided injury altogether. So, here are 10 injury prevention tips for athletes:

1. Listen to your body. There’s a fine line between pain from exertion and pain from injury, and athletes toe that line all the time. It’s the only way to get better. But, pay attention to your body and know when too much is too much. An extra recovery day won’t kill your training, but pushing too hard when you need a break might.
2. Do not overtrain. Overtraining occurs when you work too hard for too long without giving yourself enough rest. It’s like you ignore the “I need a break” signals your body is sending. At the very least, overtraining will result in a mediocre performance on race day. But, overtraining also starts you down the path to injury.
3. Take recovery days. You can’t go hard all the time. As stated before, this leads to overtraining, poor performance and injury. Recovery days give your muscles time to rebuild and become stronger, and it gives your mind time to recharge for the next hard workout.
4. Eat healthy. Everybody should eat healthy, regardless of their activity level. For athletes, a proper diet helps speed muscle recovery and reduce injury. Lean proteins, carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables and a lot of fluids are what athletes need the most. >> Learn more about Sports Nutrition.
5. Get enough sleep. The importance of sleep to injury prevention and athletic performance cannot be over-emphasized. Get on a regular sleep schedule, and get as many hours a night as you can, because sleep is the ultimate recovery workout. Also, try to eat two to three hours before going to bed. Eating supper too close to bedtime will actually keep you up longer.
6. Stretch and foam roll. Athletes, runners especially, are notorious for not stretching enough. Stretching before and after a workout increases your range of motion and flexibility which decreases your risk of injury. Also, if you have a foam roller, roll out some of your tighter areas after a workout. A foam roller is like a personal masseuse. >> Learn more about Stretching and Injury Prevention
7. Cross-train a couple times a week. Cross-training means doing an activity that isn’t your main focus. If you’re a runner, jump on a bike or swim a few times a week. If you’re a cyclist, lift some weights or go on a hike. Cross-training still elevates your heart rate and increases your strength while breaking up your workouts. This helps avoid injuries from overuse and repetition.
8. Strengthen your core. As the name suggests, your core is one of the most important muscle groups in your body and includes more than just your abs. Core muscles are responsible for maintaining balance and posture. Anything you can do to strengthen your core muscles will improve the overall efficiency and strength of your body. And stronger, more efficient movements decrease the likelihood of suffering a sports injury.
9. Give yoga a try. Yoga offers a three-pronged approach to injury prevention. The postures stretch various parts of your body — often parts that are never stretched out. Yoga also requires an engaged core, so you’re strengthening your core muscles with every class. Finally, there is a relaxation component to yoga that allows you to mentally recharge. However, relaxation may be a relative term for your first few classes as you struggle to keep balance and achieve the poses.
10. Come visit Accelerate Health. A.R.T., acupuncture, chiropractic and deep-tissue massage treatments aren’t just for injured athletes. All of our services are designed to help decrease recovery time from hard workouts and decrease your chance of injury.