Principles and basic methods of sports injury prevention

The core logic of sports injury prevention is actually "active pre-intervention + dynamic adaptation and adjustment". All implementation methods are centered on these two points. Don't wait until the pain affects your activities before you think of remediation. By then, substantial soft tissue damage has probably already occurred.

A while ago, there was a young man in the amateur running group I led who had just graduated. He usually sat at work all day without any strength training. When he came up, he followed the senior team members and rushed for a half marathon. He just shook his arms twice before running to warm up. As a result, he developed iliotibial band syndrome during his third long-distance run. He limped up and down stairs for almost half a month, and he couldn't even play his favorite basketball game. There are actually some different views on the boundaries of prevention within the circle. Some people think that "zero injury" is a goal that can be achieved through scientific training. Others think that as long as it is an intense exercise, especially confrontational sports such as basketball and football, mild muscle soreness and minor strains are the body's adaptation to exercise. As long as the normal process of intensity is controlled within a range that does not cause structural damage such as ligament tears or fractures, there is no need to be overly anxious. When I lead training myself, I prefer the latter. Ordinary people exercise to relax and have fun. They do not dare to even try reasonable intensity increases in order to feel no discomfort at all.

Talking about the specific practical methods, they are actually hidden in the whole process of exercise. It cannot be done by just stretching for two minutes before running. Let’s talk about warm-up. I’ve seen too many people squat on the ground, stretch their calves and pull their shoulders before exercising. They do static stretching for three to five minutes before going on the court. As a result, they get cramps after running two steps and stretch when changing direction. Now the consensus in the industry is that dynamic warm-up is more suitable for sports conditions. If you want to play, you should first do a few sets of leg raises, side slides, and hip jumps to raise the heart rate and move the joints. This is much more effective than stretching the muscles. Of course, this is controversial. There are also studies that believe that for people with particularly poor flexibility, short-term static stretching of about 10 seconds during warm-up will be more effective. This can be adjusted according to your own body feeling, and there is no need to stick to a certain standard.

In addition to warm-up, the most easily overlooked thing is equipment adaptation and load control. Last week, a girl came to me for consultation about Achilles tendon pain. She said that after three days of dancing, Pamela was in so much pain that she couldn't go downstairs. When I saw that she was wearing flat dad shoes, the heels didn't even have a centimeter of cushioning. During aerobics, all the impact force was on the Achilles tendon and knees, so it would be strange if it didn't hurt. When choosing equipment, you really don’t need to follow the trend and buy Internet celebrity models. When running, choose cushioning or supportive running shoes that match your foot shape. When playing, choose basketball shoes with good wrapping. The difference is only a few hundred yuan, so you don’t suffer. There is also load control. Many people have just started exercising. They could only run 3 kilometers last week, but they dare to sprint 10 kilometers this week. They work overtime for a week without moving, and just spend the afternoon in the gym on weekends. This kind of assault-style exercise is the most likely to cause injuries. You can probably remember a 10% safety line. The increase in exercise duration and intensity each week should not exceed 10% of the previous week. Being stable is much more effective than trying to "break through the limit".

Don’t just slump on the sofa and check your phone after exercise. Walk slowly for two minutes to lower your heart rate. Use a foam roller to roll your tense thigh and calf muscles. If you save these ten minutes each time, the probability of overwork-related illnesses can be reduced by more than half. After all, there is no universal standard procedure for injury prevention. Your own physical sensation is the most accurate. If any area feels tight or tingles, stop immediately. Don’t hold on. If the pain does not subside after three days, see a professional rehabilitation practitioner as soon as possible. Don’t let it turn into an old injury, which will really affect your interest in exercising in the future.