Whether you’re new to sports or a seasoned pro, you need to have a plan for preventing injuries.
The ‘ol “no pain, no gain” adage is just that, old. There is enough research out there on the importance of having a plan setup for injury prevention. Going at 110% for too long can actually cause an athletes body to break down and adversely affect his performance on the field.
Training taxes the body systems, which are only restored with rest. Athletes or Coaches do not really consider “rest” a priority. Yet it’s the top athletes in the world that understand the importance of rest as they incorporate a good blend of intensity and restoration.
We do not usually work with an athlete who has a totally healthy back; we usually deal with athletes that have already injured them. It is a long process but our goal is to not only help them come back from the injury but to also perform better on the field after it.
An example would be a golfer who comes in with lower back issues and is now experiencing a lackluster performance on the golf course. When they first experience these back issues, many choose to ignore it rather than deal with it. They may shorten their backswing because they don’t have the same range of motion but they make up for it with their accuracy. The golfer tends to alter his game thinking that the pain will go away, but it doesn’t. He then has to come to physical therapy here to physically get his body back into the game.
Many athletes’ backs are ruined in training—not in competition. This may be because of the nature of the particular sport, and be unavoidable, but it’s a shame when injuries happen in training.
To prevent a lower back injury always incorporate a Dynamic Warm-up before any physical activity.
If you train for a particular sport early in the morning and the sport calls for a large amount of motion with your spine, then try waking up earlier and start off with lighter repetitions of the movement you’re going to be doing.
So if you wake up early to golf then consider going through a couple of practice swings, doing some rotations with a light resistance band, or simply doing trunk rotations before you go full blast driving the ball 300 yards.
For more tips on how to decrease the chances of you getting a lower back injury or if you’re seeking relief download our free guide here.
Schedule a FREE consultation with us at any of our SportsMed Physical Therapy locations in Ridgewood/HoHoKus, Clifton, Fair Lawn, Franklin Lakes, and Glen Rock.
*Please consult your physician if you are experiencing severe pain.
