Injury Prevention Tips for the Season
Fall sports are officially here! Whether you’re gearing up for football, cross country, or volleyball, preparing your body can make a big difference in how you feel throughout the season.
No athlete wants to experience an injury that puts them on the sideline. And while you can never completely eliminate your injury risk, there are plenty of practical steps you can take to help reduce your risk—and keep you performing at your best.
If you’re not sure how to get started with injury prevention, the team at Responsive Physical Therapy and PT Works can help. Our physical therapists take the time to understand your sport and your overall performance goals so we can create a care plan that meets your needs.
Fall Sports Injuries To Watch Out For
Every sport places different demands on the body, but a few injuries are especially common during the fall season:
Ankle sprains
Knee injuries
Muscle strains
Shoulder injuries
Overuse injuries
Fortunately, most of these injuries can be managed successfully with physical therapy, particularly when addressed early. But you can also take steps to reduce the chances of them occurring at all.
Seven Injury Prevention Strategies for a Strong Fall Season
1. Build Strength Before the Season Starts
Strong muscles help support your joints during high-level sports movements like running, jumping, cutting, and landing. Our team can assess your current strength and recommend exercises that target the muscle groups most important for your sport.
2. Don’t Skip the Warm-Up
Five to ten minutes of light cardio and dynamic stretches before practice or competition prepares your muscles and joints for more demanding sports-related movements. Select warm-up exercises that target the body parts you’ll be using during your main activity.
3. Improve Balance and Coordination
Good balance helps your body react to quick changes in direction. Our team can show you exercises that improve coordination and confidence in movement, which are valuable skills for athletes of all ages and experience levels.
4. Gradually Increase Your Workload
It can be tempting to jump into full-speed practices after a quieter summer, but doing so introduces your body’s tissues to new demands without giving them a chance to adjust, increasing the likelihood of an injury. Gradually ramping up training volume, known as progressive loading, helps your body build strength safely. If you’re not sure what a good training schedule looks like, our team can help.
5. Prioritize Recovery
Recovery is essential for athletes, as it allows the body to adapt to training and prepares you for your next practice or game. Be sure to practice healthy habits like getting enough sleep, managing mental stress, scheduling rest days, and meeting your hydration and nutrition needs.
6. Get A Movement Assessment
A movement assessment from the team at Responsive Physical Therapy and PT Works can help you identify any potential issues with your strength, mobility, movement patterns, and more. That way, you can know which areas to focus on with your cross-training to help reduce injury risk.
7. Address Pain Early
Occasional muscle soreness after exercise is common, but pain that persists, worsens, or changes should be checked out. Our team can identify the potential drivers contributing to your symptoms and develop a personalized treatment plan before a small issue begins interfering with your sport.
Stay Active This Fall with Physical Therapy
Fall sports are a wonderful way to stay active while having fun and enjoying the excitement of competition. Preparing your body with the right training, recovery habits, and individualized care can help you make the most of every practice and every game.
If pain, stiffness, or an injury is limiting your activity, the team at Responsive Physical Therapy and PT Works is here to help. Our clinics are proudly in-network with insurance, and we’ll evaluate your specific needs, develop a treatment plan tailored to your goals, and help you return to the sports and activities you enjoy with greater confidence.
Contact us today to schedule an appointment and get ready for a healthy, active fall season!
🏃 Get Game Ready This Fall!
Injury Prevention: Myth or Fact?
Test your knowledge and learn how to stay healthy, strong, and active this fall sports season.
Kids Heading Back to School? Here’s How to Help Them Avoid Back Pain
Between laptops, tablets, and old-fashioned textbooks, heavy backpacks are a reality for anyone starting school this fall (including the teachers!). Improper backpack usage can contribute to back pain, particularly in the upper back–but a few simple tips will help keep your kids pain-free this school year.
- Find a backpack that fits. Most kids choose backpacks for their coolness factor, not their size, but it’s important your child’s backpack is the right fit for them. A properly fitting (and properly filled) backpack should rest on the hips, not the shoulders.
- Don’t go too heavy. A backpack shouldn’t exceed 10% of your child’s body weight. Bust out the bathroom scale to ensure your child isn’t overloading their pack!
- Encourage good posture. Help your child find their ideal posture by asking them to lift their chest/sternum up toward the sky, which helps their spine settle into proper alignment.
Want more back-to-school backpack tips? Call Responsive Physical Therapy and PT Works to schedule a personalized assessment to help identify any areas of weakness or impairment that might be contributing to backpack-related discomfort–and strategies for resolving them!
Erin Cannon PT, DPT, OCS
Please join us in congratulating Erin Cannon on earning her Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist certification through the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialties!
The OCS is an advanced board certification recognizing physical therapists who demonstrate a high level of knowledge and clinical expertise in orthopaedic physical therapy.
Earning this certification requires meeting rigorous professional requirements and successfully completing a comprehensive specialty examination—making this accomplishment a significant achievement for Erin and a reflection of her dedication to the field.
We’re proud to celebrate Erin’s hard work, dedication, and commitment to providing exceptional care to her patients!
Ready to Move Better and Feel Your Best?
Whether you’re managing an orthopedic condition or recovering from a yard-work strain, our team at Responsive Physical Therapy and PT Works is here to help. Contact us today to schedule your appointment.
