3 Common Causes of Sports injuries

There are few ways to improve your overall health and keep fit than through engaging in sports activities. Many sports including football, baseball, cycling, swimming, and weightlifting can be vigorous activities. They all demand intense physical & mental power and endurance. In addition, becoming an avid athlete requires consistent and often times intense training. Unfortunately, many athletes suffer minor or major injuries either during training or when performing.

Here are 3 common (and preventable) causes of sports injuries.

1. Unfitness and inflexibility
Many sportspeople experience predictable or unpredictable injuries due to inflexibility and unfitness. The avoidance of regular training sessions, unhealthy eating habits, fatigue and dehydration can make any person unfit. Some athletes can trace their injuries directly to their inactivity. Stay in the game by systematically building your strength, agility, balance, power, coordination, and flexibility. Don’t let avoidable injuries such as muscle strain, lower back pain, and joint soreness be the reasons why you are not doing what you enjoy doing.

2. Inappropriate footwear and uneven surfaces
Athletes who have a tendency of changing their footwear frequently are more prone to those who stick to their comfortable and effective sports shoes. It’s important to find comfortable and well-designed footwear to help prevent unnecessary foot, ankle and knee injuries. Playing or training on uneven surfaces is yet another common cause of typical injuries to the hip joints, knees, lower back, shin splints, and ankles. Athletes should never compromise in regard to their preferred footwear and training/playing surfaces.

3. Fatigue
Fatigue can easily make an athlete vulnerable to both minor and major injuries. Common fatigue-related sports injuries include; lower back, knee, hip and ankle injuries. Every successful sportsperson understands the importance of having sufficient sleep. Over-training and overworking yourself will not solve your coordination, speed, agility or flexibility problems. Embrace smart training methods and spend enough hours to enjoy your sleep for more productive and enjoyable sports sessions.

Live Life to its Fullest

Dr. Kevin Crawford

4110 22nd Place Lubbock, TX 79410

(806) 792-4329

Disclaimer:  This information is provided as an educational service only, and is not intended as a substitute for medical advice.  Anyone seeking specific medical advice or assistance should consult his or her doctor or orthopedic surgeon.

5 Dire Effects of Chronic Stress on your Health and Wellness

Many people are not too concerned about their stress levels until things start downhill with their health or mental wellbeing. Encountering stress is inevitable, as it can be triggered by almost most anything including health, financial struggles, relationships, family, inadequate sleep and poor dieting to name but a few. Experiencing regular chronic stress can create devastating health implications. These can include:

1.     Mental health complications

 Research has discovered that people who encounter progressive stress are prone to numerous mental health complications such as low memory, depression, personality disorders, anxiety, irritability, fear, sadness, and anger. Stress has the ability to kill brain cells, and shrink the brain, hence complicating our health further. Serious mental health issues can lead to suicide, wasted careers, drug abuse, and reckless behavior. Help is out there to better manage stress levels and enhance mental health.

2.     Cardiovascular system complications

Chronic stress has a reputation for triggering numerous cardiovascular system disorders including heart attacks, high blood pressure, stroke, abnormal heart rhythms and obesity. However, many of these may be partially prevented by living a stress-free lifestyle.  Avoid reverting to unorthodox methods of fighting stress such as drinking, smoking or overeating. Instead, consider jogging, working out, meditating, dancing or swimming to get rid of stress and improve your overall health.

3.     Menstrual problems/sexual dysfunction

Stress-prone females can experience menstrual complications during menstruation. Many men who experience chronic stress regularly can suffer from impotence, low sexual desire or other sexual dysfunctions. Many of these issues can be sorted out through regular exercises, healthy eating, meditation, and yoga, etc.

4.     Skin & hair problems

Stress is affiliated with multiple beauty and hair problems including eczema, psoriasis, acne, premature aging, wrinkles, skin cancer, mouth ulcers and hair loss among others. Such ailments can lead to low self-esteem, lack of confidence, isolation, or depression. In order to protect yourself from such chronic skin and hair complications, health experts recommend regular exercises, meditation, adequate sleep, drinking enough water, and balanced dieting.

5.     Digestive/Gastrointestinal problems

 Many victims of stress experience various digestive/gastrointestinal problems such as irritable colon, GERD, ulcerative colitis and gastritis. It is common for stressed individuals to become vulnerable to diarrhea, belching, and stomachache. Avoid all these by making the right decisions including working out, improving your nutrition, avoiding negative people and drinking adequate water every day.

Now that you know the negative effects of stress on your overall health and wellness, make it your daily goal to live a more stress-free life.

Live Life to its Fullest

Dr. Kevin Crawford

4110 22nd Place Lubbock, TX 79410

(806) 792-4329

Disclaimer:  This information is provided as an educational service only, and is not intended as a substitute for medical advice.  Anyone seeking specific medical advice or assistance should consult his or her doctor or orthopedic surgeon.

Health and Wellness Tips for Reducing Stress Naturally

Life can be so sweet yet quite overwhelming at times. In difficult times, stress can become a growing part of our everyday living. While people manage to overcome their challenges, others succumb to them. Unfortunately, chronic stress can gradually turn your life upside down. Here are a few highly effective health & wellness tips for eradicating stress naturally:

Enhance your Nutrition.
The type of food you put onto your plate can play a role in your stress levels. Regrettably, stress can contribute to other health complications including diabetes, heart disorders, high blood pressure, obesity, and depression, etc. Improving your nutrition and antioxidants intake can help lower stress and risks to other more severe health ailments. Focus on foods that contain vitamins, amino acids, minerals, and antioxidants. Lastly, stay away from stress-inducing foods such as processed sugars & foods.

Get rid of toxins.
We live in an era of fast foods. Many people seem to have an attraction for unhealthy foods or products, oblivious of their consequences. Toxins can be found in many food items, beauty products, hygiene essentials, and medicine. Weeding out all toxins can be a powerful weapon against chronic stress, provided you commit yourself to make it work. Start by becoming conscientious of everything you consume. To combat toxins effectively, consider drinking lots of water to detoxify, use natural cleaning/natural personal care/beauty products, avoid storing food in plastics, and avoid pesticides/herbicides if possible.

Get ample sleep.
As they say; the best things in life are free. Getting adequate sleep every night can have a great impact on your life. Yes; we all get caught up in our day-to-day living and end up depriving ourselves of much-needed sleep. Having inadequate sleep on a regular basis can easily trigger stress in your life. Resultantly, you can become prone to all sorts of health disorders such as depression, HBP, memory troubles, and stroke. Save yourself by enjoying at least 7-8 hours of sleep every day.

Get active.
When was the last time you exercised? Well, stop making excuses and start working out on a regular basis - for your own good. Being busy is allowed but not having time to enhance your own physical and mental health is not. Engaging in low-impact or vigorous physical activities such as swimming, cycling, jogging, weight lifting, yoga or dancing daily can be life changing for you. Sweat it out to improve your body’s endorphins levels and reap the benefits of your labor including more energy, reduced stress, stronger immune system, and improved sleep.

Other effective stress-relievers.
In addition to the above, listening to music can easily enhance your focus, calm your mood and promote relaxation. Music is known for its therapeutic effects on our brain and creating calmness. Investing in aromatherapy & essential oils such as Jasmine, lavender, olive, coconut, Cedarwood, Sandalwood, Orange, and Frankincense can be used for effective stress management, as well. Lastly, drink adequate water, keep a daily mood journal, or engage in meditation to help manage stress successfully.

Live Life to its Fullest

Dr. Kevin Crawford

4110 22nd Place Lubbock, TX 79410

(806) 792-4329

Disclaimer:  This information is provided as an educational service only, and is not intended as a substitute for medical advice.  Anyone seeking specific medical advice or assistance should consult his or her doctor or orthopedic surgeon.