A.
Following are some general rules for injury prevention no matter what sport you play. While it is impossible to prevent every injury, research suggests that injury rates could be reduced by 25% if athletes took appropriate preventative action, including:
- Wear appropriate protective gear and equipment - Protective equipment that fits you well can save your knees, hands, teeth, eyes, and head. Never play without your safety gear.
- Rest - People with high consecutive days of training, have more injuries. While many of us think the more we train, the better we will play, this is a misconception. Rest is a critical component of proper training. Rest can make you stronger and prevent injuries of overuse; fatigue and poor judgement
- Always warm up before playing - Warm muscles are less susceptible to injuries. The proper warm up is essential for injury prevention. Make sure your warm up suits your sport. You may simply start your sport slowly, or practice specific stretching or mental rehearsal depending upon your activity.
- Avoid playing when very tired or in pain - This is a set-up for a careless injury. Pain indicates a problem. You need to pay attention to warning signs your body provides.
- Be in proper physical condition to play a sport - The weekend warrior has a high rate of injury. If you play any sports, you should adequately train for that sport. It is a mistake to expect the sport itself to get you into shape. Many injuries can be prevented by following a regular conditioning program of exercises designed specifically for your sport.