Avoid Injury This Summer

With the warmer weather and we all start spending a little more time outside, it’s a good time to be mindful of the injuries we can sustain after a long, inactive winter. To avoid injury as you resume summer activities, sports, and exercise, heed this advice.

Ease Back into Your Training

Whether you’re an athlete getting ready for a new season of baseball, track, or soccer or a jogger ready to get off the treadmill and back out in the fresh air, there are precautions you should take to avoid an injury that would keep you inactive for weeks or longer.  Be sure to warm up and stretch your muscles before your activity. Listen to your body – if you feel pain or discomfort, moderate the activity or stop.

Wear the Right Shoes

One of the most important ways to prevent injury is to wear the right gear. While that means wearing the proper equipment for your chosen sport (including proper visibility), nothing is more important than the shoes you wear – the right size, the right type of shoe, and the right support structure.

Don’t Overexert Your Body

Unless you’ve been conditioning in preparation for resuming your activities, it’s important to ease into the activity slowly and build up your stamina and strengthen the muscles that support your joints. Early season injuries can be serious – serious enough to require significant downtime or even knee or hip replacement surgery.

Don’t Just Get Physical – Get a Physical

Summer is a great time of year to schedule an annual physical, so that you can clear up any medical issues and make sure you’re in good shape to handle the uptick in exercise you’re planning.

There’s no reason you can’t spend your summer doing things that you love in the outdoors. Just be sure you’re taking steps to take care of your joints along the way so that you don’t get injured. If you are suffering from a knee or hip injury, contact us at our Pinehurst office today or call us at 910-295-0224.