Bone Strengthening To Avoid Sport Injuries

Fractures are among the most common sports injuries that affect many athletes. There are many measures to help reduce these types of injuries. Depending on the severity of the injury, fractures can take up to several months to heal. Fractures and dislocations can be signs of lack of or poor conditioning. The body requires regular exercises to help strengthen the muscles and bones. A good physical conditioning is one that increases muscle flexibility while helping to avoid injuries.

For many people in general, bone and muscle strengthening exercises are not a priority in their work out schedule. Bone conditioning is viewed as more appropriate for those in contact sports or in bodybuilding. Bone-strengthening exercises involve stretching out muscles and strengthening bones with resistance-offering exercises. These exercises help increase fitness and strength. Here are a few such exercises to try;

§  Own body weight exercise- These exercises involve strengthening your muscles by using your own weight against gravity resistance. They include push-ups, pull-ups, and abdominal exercises. The exercises not only increase the bone density but also increase flexibility.

§  Free weight exercise- they include the use of weights such as dumbbells, ankle and wrist weights and weight lifting chains. These weights are not fixed but they also offer resistance to help build bone strength.

§  Machine weight exercises - fixed machines offer great resistance. Use of hydraulics and weight stacks can help in strengthening the legs and shoulder muscles and bones.

You can improve your speed, strength, muscle endurance and agility with such strengthening exercise techniques.  If done correctly, you can prevent many sports injuries associated with tendon and ligament tear, muscle exhaustion and bone fractures. There are other strengthening exercise techniques if you do not have access to free or machine weights. Activities such as hiking, dancing, stair climbing and running will also achieve the same effect. They will increase the strength of the core and flexibility.

Bone-strengthening exercises are important to your health but should be done with care. Done with poor technique, they could lead to significant injuries under certain circumstances. To achieve the best results;

·      Rest- it gives your body time to rest and heal. Take a break from exercises and always ensure you get enough sleep. Proper rest assists muscles to relax and grow. You also get renewed energy for the following day’s work out.

·      Avoid high impact exercises when injured- high impact exercises should be avoided when in pain, injured or recovering from a sports injury. Start with light weights or low impact exercises as you build your way up to heavier weights.

·      Stretch- be sure to warm up before doing these exercises and stretch after.

·      Use proper technique- for weightlifting, there is a proper way to lift weights and avoid lower back injuries. This is not just in weightlifting. There is a proper way to achieving maximum benefits from bone strengthening and other exercises. Make sure you are doing it correctly - every time. Hire a professional trainer to help ensure you understand proper exercise techniques.

Most sports require strength and muscle endurance. Follow the above tips to achieve improved bone density and help avoid injuries.

Remember to 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 Tips to Prevent Sports Injuries

5 Tips to prevent sport injuries

According to Dr. Andrew Cosgarea, sporting injuries often occur due to overuse or trauma. While overuse injuries are more common than trauma injuries, traumatic injuries tend to be more severe, painful and immediate. Overuse injuries, on the other hand, occur often when the body is pushed past it physical limits, especially over time. Poor training techniques or lack of proper physical preparation before intense exercise can contribute to sports injuries.


Below are 5 tips that can help you avoid sports injuries.

1)    Realistic goal setting

Setting of lofty goals and working very hard to achieve them is common among athletes today. However, your goals should be realistic, sustainable and achievable. Be it swimming more laps or lifting a certain weight, you should always set goals which are obtainable to you, and then work gradually for overall improvement.

2)    Planning and preparations

As you plan to regularly exercise or want to start a new sports program, it is highly advisable to see your primary health care provider first so as to go through all your options and work within your current limitations. You should take some time in learning the right techniques necessary for a particular sport or program. Training with a personal trainer is a safe and more enjoyable way of beginning any new activity.  Using proper techniques not only mitigate the risk of injury, but also help bring better and quicker results.

3)     Warming up and cooling down

Before starting any physical activities, it is very important to warm up. Research has shown that a heated muscle is less likely to incur an injury. Some light jogging or walking prior to more intense exercises are essential, as well as after training so as to cool down your muscles slowly. Increasing your flexibility can also help you prevent injuries. Flexibility can be achieved by stretching before any exercises and after, but is best once the body is warmed up.

4)    Taking your time

Avoid pushing yourself too fast as you train. Learning new activities or getting in good shape takes time to achieve. Increase your training levels gradually, thus giving the body enough time to adjust to this new stress to the joints, bones and muscles. For example, if you are running, gradually increase the mileage and give yourself enough time to recover between each workout.  And, stay hydrated.

5)     Listening to your body

You should always adjust your training activities once you start seeing signs of too much stress on your body. A short-lived or mild muscle pain (muscle tightness) is usually considered normal after intense workouts, especially the day after.  However, joint pains are not normal and they may indicate a need to cut back on your workout activities for awhile.

These tips should also be incorporated in athletic training so as to achieve better results and help reduce injury. Exercise smart, stay safe, and have Fun!

Remember to 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, and is not intended as a substitute for medical advice.  Anyone seeking seeking specific medical advice or assistance should consult his or her doctor or orthopedic surgeon.