Sports Fitness and Injury Prevention
Sport is very much a part of modern life. Like the Olympic motto citius, altius, fortius (higher, faster, quicker), man in his quest for glory and fame tries to break records by pushing himself to the limit. This zest for conquest makes sportspersons highly prone to injuries that could become a threat to their career.
Prevention of such sports injuries is important for a long, injury free career in sports. A healthy diet, general body warm up and stretching are absolutely important for every sports person.
The best way to ward off career threatening injuries among athletes is 'prevention'. Sports men can reduce the risk of injury by trying to understand their body better and knowing its needs and limits. Here are a few guidelines that will help athletes to have a successful sports career not marred by injuries.
Ways to Prevent Sports Injuries
The pre-participation physical examination is carried out to diagnose any underlying medical problem that may limit competition or place a person at "increased risk". PPE helps to assess general health of an athlete, and also develops a relationship with the physician, trainer or therapist. A thorough medical screening of the athlete is essential to rule out any contraindication for vigorous sports.
A good warm-up is the first line of defence against sports injury. Warm up is a set of mobility and stretching exercises which increase the blood flow to the tissues and core temperature of the body. It also prevents muscle tears and strains and hence is a vital component of an athlete's fitness program.
This is often the "missed" portion of the workout. Cool down gradually lowers the heart rate and brings it to the resting level. It is important that you do not stop exercise abruptly as this will cause blood to pool in the exercised body parts, thereby reducing the return of blood to the heart.
Stretching exercises increase the body's flexibility. It is important to utilize a good stretching program before and after a workout. Stretch should not be painful and each stretch should be held for 15-20 seconds. Make sure you hold the stretch. No bouncing. This is a good way to get a better stretch before your workout.
Sustained lower extremity impact exercises should not be practised on hard concrete surface or soft glossy surface. It should be done on level ground or on grass and the sessions should have short breaks to avoid overuse injury.
Use lightweight, flexible footwear. It should have excessive cushioning to absorb impact of ground reaction forces, heel wedge and 1/2 inch rocker under foot to facilitate toe off. Always get used to new shoes before the event. Running in worn-out shoes increases injuries hence, change them every year.
No matter what sport or exercise routine you do, you need to make sure your equipment and footwear fits properly. Knee, shoulder, elbow and shin pads, helmets, mouth guards, protective eye wear and gloves are equipments made to help prevent and reduce the severity of injuries.
Don't undertake vigorous sports in extremely high or low temperature with excessive humidity (higher than 42 °C (107 °F))
In warm weather, wear dry light weighed, loose fitting cotton clothing to permit free convection of air between the skin and environment and to promote evaporation from the skin. Light colour clothing reflects heat rays.
Allowing your body to rest is as important as building strength and endurance. Over training is an imbalance between exercise and recovery, wherein an athlete's training program exceeds the body's physiological and psychological limits resulting in fatigue and reduced functional capacity.
You don't get stronger by constantly training hard. The best way to avoid over training is to listen to your body. If your heart rate remains elevated after a night's rest, if your legs feel heavy, and your motivation fades, you may need more rest.
Way to Preventing Injury in Dance
South Indian dance is a complex art which involves intricate and extensive movements of various parts of the body. Dancers are akin to sports people as both involve in physical training and precise movement. In fact, dancing requires conditioning and more finesse. Classical dance has a rich cultural history and has captivated the young and old from time immemorial.
Unlike in athletes, dancers usually do not suffer dramatic acute injury. They are more prone to suffer from the after effects - and the resulting disability later on in life is significant.
While a well trained athlete knows the importance of warm up, warm down, conditioning and stretching, not all dancers are aware of such a preparation program, although most of them do yoga as preparation. At Ortho One, we have analyzed the prevalence of aches, pain and injury in artistes with a view to reduce the incidence of the same. This, we believe, will enhance the physical fitness of the artiste and reduce injury and the after effects.
Diet for Athletes
The right diet for athletes
Food is the fuel for an athlete, as that will power his performance in his chosen sport. Balanced diet is also the key to good health, vitality and successful weight control.
Food is made up of carbohydrates, proteins and fat. Athletes in general should eat a diet high in carbohydrates, moderate in protein, and low in fat. Another key nutrient that is a must for athletes is water.
The healthy diet circle
The five golden rules for healthy eating are....
- Eat fresh foods, avoid processed or readymade meals
- Eat plenty of fiber rich food - lots of fresh fruit, vegetables, cereals, pulses and grains
- Cut down on fats, especially saturated fats
- Decrease intake of sugar and salt
- Vary your diet to maximize your vitamin, protein and carbohydrate intake
The balanced diet pyramid shows the key action areas for a balanced diet. Food from the first two levels of the pyramid should be the staple of your diet. The idea is to eat most of the food at the base of the pyramid and least of the food at the top.
Optimal diet during off-season period
Breakfast:
- 6 slices of bread (with jam, butter or cheese), an egg and 2 bananas with
- 1 bowl of oats with dates or
- 1 bowl of cornflakes with low - fat milk and one handful of nuts
- 1 glass of freshly squeezed orange juice
Lunch:
- Brown rice (better than polished rice) with 1 bowl of cooked dhal or
- Rice with vegetable stew
- 1 cup of fresh curd
- Weekly twice, try to include non vegetarian food (beef, fish, chicken or mutton) in your diet
- 1 bowl of fresh fruit (e.g., bananas for potassium and sodium content)
Tea time:
- Health mix flour with semi skimmed milk
- Sandwich (jam, honey, marmalade or butter)
Dinner:
- 4 Chapattis - with cooked vegetables and salad
- Fresh fruits
- A glass of semi skimmed milk
Fluid intake
Opportunities to consume fluid during the game should be optimized. Ideally, players should consume fluid every 10-15 minutes
Water:
- Drink 3 to 4 liters of water everyday
- Drink 400 to 600 ml of water before starting the event
- Drink 150 to 200 ml of water mixed with salt (0.1 to 0.2%) and glucose (2tsps) every 10-15 minutes inbetween the event
Sports drinks
Sports drinks can be helpful to athletes who are exercising at a high intensity for 90 minutes or more. They have the extra advantage of providing energy in situations when glycogen stores are likely to be depleted. Though there are a lot of sports drinks commercially available in the market, it is advisable to drink one with fluid, electrolytes and 6 to 8 % of carbohydrate content. This helps in regulation of temperature and fluid balance during the event.