Sports Injury Prevention Guide

Perform stretches before and after sports activities to increase your flexibility, reduce muscle tension and soreness and significantly lower your chances of injury. Here are a few tips:

• Stretch till you feel mild tension - not pain, and hold for 10 seconds. The tense feeling should decrease or stay the same.
• Do not bounce. Stretching should be static.
• To get blood going, jog about 1/4 mile before beginning your warm-up.
• Try these 5 warm-up/cool-down stretches.

Injury	Symptoms	Prevention	Treatment
Ankle Sprain	Pain, swelling, loss of motion, pain during walking resulting from landing on outside of foot and stretching ligaments.	Periodically move ankle up and down to prevent stiffness and blood clotting.	Ice - 20min. on, 20min. off, 3X/day till swelling subsides. Apply ace bandage from toes to upper calf, leaving no openings. Elevation - lie flat with foot on a pillow about 18" off the ground. If pain persists for more than 3 days, call doctor. Use of crutches, cane, or walking within pain tolerance.
Heel Bruise	Pain and swelling from a direct blow or repetitive training involving, pressure or trauma to the heel.	Proper footwear with protective padding.	Ice - 20min. on, 20min. off, 3X/day till swelling subsides. Avoid using pad directly on affected area - leave opening over sore spot. If pain persists for more than 3 days, call doctor.
Muscle Cramp (leg)	Immediate tightness and spasm in muscle, pain due to fluid imbalance, improper conditioning.	Proper diet (apples, bananas, oranges), gradual conditioning to increase flexibility.	Stretch the involved area immediately, massage area of muscle where spasm is occurring.
Jammed Toe	Pain, swelling, loss of motion, resulting from jamming toe into surface, tight shoes or from kicking an object.	Proper footwear, walking carefully.	Place toe in cold water (55°F) 3X/day for 20min. Move toe up and down within pain tolerance. Wrap toe in gauze.
Tennis Elbow	Pain on outside of elbow during gripping movement. Swelling due to improper swinging motion, over-use.	Strengthen wrist by holding weight and moving hand up and down 20 times, 3X/day.	Ice 3X/day, 20min. on, 20min. off, before and after activity. Stretch hand in all motions, re-adjust stroke to eliminate those which produce pain.
Nose Bleed	Bleeding from one or both nostrils resulting from a direct blow or over-exertion.	Avoid contact or over-exertion.	Do not lay down or place head backwards, clamp nostrils together or place gauze in bleeding nostril. Stand up straight, apply ice.
Heat Exhaustion	Extreme weakness, pale, cool, clammy skin, weak rapid pulse, nausea, excessive water and nutrient loss.	Proper conditioning. If hot/humid outside remove all excess clothing. If hot/dry, wear loose, light clothing.	Lay patient flat with feet elevated, drink juices or salt water. If body is hot, cool down with cold compresses. Have patient relax. If body cool, cover with blanket.
Ingrown Toenail	Pain, swelling, redness at junction or nail and skin due to trauma, improper footwear, improper nail care, heredity.	Cut toe nail straight across. Do not cut edges, wear proper fitting shoes.	Warm soaks, wear 2 pairs of socks, soft shoes. Cut "V" in center of nail, apply anti-bacterial ointment, keep clean. If pain persists, call doctor.
Charlie Horse	Pain, swelling, loss of motion resulting from a direct blow or over-use of muscles.	Proper conditioning, flexibility, protective padding if engaging in contact sport.	Ice - 20min. on, 20 min. off, 3X/day. Do not apply heat. Stretch slowly till soreness and swelling subsides.
Shin Splints	Pain on middle, inside or outside of lower leg due to heavy running, improper footwear, running on hard surface and poor flexibility.	Good footwear, gradual conditioning, flexibility. Exercise by walking on heel of foot, outside of foot, inside of foot.	Apply ice on painful area before and after activity. Pain on a) inside of leg: Strengthen muscles that turn foot in by walking around on outside of foot. b) outside of leg: Run less till pain subsides. If pain persists, get X-ray. c) front of leg: Do calf stretches, get soft heel for shoes.
Achilles Tendonitis	Pain on heel cord, calf, or back of heel, soreness during running or jumping when pushing off due to over-exertion, improper stretching, hard shoe or sneaker heel, sudden twist.	Proper stretch before and after exercise, padded heel in the shoe, gradual conditioning to activity. Use padded heel cup.	Apply ice 20min. on, 20min. off, 3X/day. Take aspirin, if O.K. with doctor 4X/day for 7 days. Gradually stretch tendon (lean against wall, keeping heel flat on ground). This will stretch the upper calf.
Pulled Muscle	Pain, tightness, swelling, occasional loss of motion if severe, resulting from improper stretching, extreme muscular fatigue, salt and potassium imbalance, sudden twisting motion.	Conditioning prior to excessive exertion.	Ice - 20min. on, 20min off, 3X/day, ace bandage, slow gradual stretch of involved area. When there is no pain upon walking, begin jogging, then increase pace gradually.
Runner's Cramp	Pain and cramping in side of stomach with pain increasing if you continue to run - due to loss of fluid (salt and potassium) while running in hot climate or to over-exertion.	Eat bananas, apples or oranges 12 hours before activity. Eat carbohydrates 1 day prior to activity, avoid eating 21/2 hours before exercise.	Apply pressure with hand, directly on the area of pain. Then slowly stretch out the cramped area.
Heat Stroke	Dry (no sweating), red skin, temperature elevation, strong rapid pulse.	Gradual conditioning. No heavy exertion in hot humid (over 90%) weather.	True emergency, life threatening. Call Ambulance Immediately. Cool entire body, place cold packs on pressure points (armpits, groin, temple).
Athlete's Foot	Itching and redness between toes or on the sole of foot. Scaly dry skin caused by a superficial fungus infection, soil in locker rooms, excessive sweating, dirty socks. Highly contagious.	Change socks twice daily. Thongs or foot covering in shower or locker room and other public places. Powder feet daily.	Wash feet 3X/day thoroughly, especially between the toes. Apply anti-fungal ointment or spray. Expose feet to air. Wash socks daily and powder over applied anti-fungal spray during activity.

5 Warm Up/Cool Down Stretches

1. GROIN -- Sitting with soles of feet together, grasp ankles and pull toward groin area. Place hands on inside and push knees out and down toward floor until you feel a stretch. Hold 10 seconds, relax and repeat 5 times.

2. QUADRICEPS -- While standing bend knee and grasp ankle toward buttocks until you feel a stretch. Hold 10 seconds, relax, repeat 5 times. Alternate legs.

3. HAMSTRING -- Sit with one leg straight, other leg bent with heel against upper part of inner thigh. Lean over straight leg and grasp lower leg, pulling chin to knee. Keep knee straight. Hold 10 seconds, relax and repeat 5 times. Alternate legs.

4. CALF -- Stand facing a wall. Using hands for balance, lower hips by bending knees toward ground and wall until you feel a stretch in lower calf. Do not allow heels to come off the floor. Hold 10 seconds, relax, repeat 5 times.

5. LOWER BACK -- Lie on back, knees bent. Raise one knee to chest, grasp with hands and pull in to chest. Hold till stretch is felt. Relax and repeat with opposite leg, then both legs together.

Click here to learn about Toning Exercises.
Click here to read about Reducing Sports Injuries.