Injuries can occur during many different situations; sports, home activities, at work, pursuing recreational activities… you name it.
- Is there a way we can minimise the risk of sustaining an injury?
- Yes you can!
Work:
The work environment is highly variable between individuals and some environments pose more risks than others. Injury prevention in the workplace is about creating a safe environment and work habits.
- Make sure the office floor is clear of trip hazards (eg power cords, bins etc)
- Do not stand on swivel chairs to reach overhead
- Wear appropriate clothing required for your job (especially important for trade workers)
- If you are lifting boxes or objects keep the load close to your body and bend your knees
- If it looks heavy it probably is! Ask some teammates for help moving the item
- If you perform a manual job warm up prior to starting work
- Workplace safety is everyone’s responsibility so if you see something unsafe speak up
In the home:
The home might seem like a safe place but quite often it is the source of injuries after seemingly reasonable activity. Deciding to cut the hedges all in one day may lead to overload of certain joints and muscles if this is an unaccustomed activity for the body. You may feel ok at the time but the next day may be a different story. Other injuries can result from falls from ladders or down stairs.
- Break up gardening loads across the family or over a number of weekends
- Watch your posture when mowing the lawn and doing the cleaning
- Always get someone to support a ladder base when climbing up to clean windows etc
- Ask for assistance when moving furniture or other household item
- Switch the lights on at night when going up and down stairs
Sport:
Sports provide numerous benefits including social interaction, fitness and fun. However, they are also a very common way to sustain injuries. These can be due to training faults (overuse and overload injuries), acute injuries such as impacts or falls or they may also be the result of poor neuromuscular control.
– Warm Up:
Warm ups are the chance to prepare the body, physically and mentally, for the activity to come. Quite often it is an element overlooked and many feel they can just get straight into playing, especially if they are running late to a game. However, from an injury prevention perspective engaging in a warm up also reduces the chance of injury. A 15 minute warm up would be ideal.
- Prior to sport engage in both a cardiovascular and sports specific warm up
- Make sure each joint and muscle is taken through its range of motion during the warm up
- Try and make the warm up as movement based as possible (dynamic) and avoid sitting around performing static stretches
- Perform movements that mimic the task you will be performing
– During the game:
- Drink adequate fluids (water is usually the best option)
- If you have some time on the bench don’t sit still, keep moving and keep your muscles warm
- If you sustain an injury rest from the game and see a physio if needed – playing on while injured may worsen the injury or cause injuries elsewhere
- If injured follow the RICE and No HARM principles
– Cool Down:
After the game it is recommended you engage in a 10-15 minute cool down to allow the body and its systems to return to their resting state. A cool down helps to remove waste products from the muscles, minimise DOM’s, allow hormones such as adrenaline to reduce and allow the heart rate and blood pressure to return to normal.
- A combination of static stretching and cardiovascular activity is recommended
- Taper your exercise down to light activity
- Engage in static stretching of the major muscle groups used
- Sip on water to ensure hydration levels are restored
What other preventative measures can I take?
- Rigid taping for joint support if you have a previous injury or known joint laxity
- Bracing for joint support or de-loading of structures
- Have a check-up with your GP or physio prior to undertaking a new sport/return to activity
- Enlist the help of a personal trainer if starting a new gym program
- Perform activities with optimal technique
Is there any sport specific injury prevention resources?
This is a growing area of research and recently some good evidence based sport specific resources have been developed. Above mention are some popular sports and their injury prevention programs. These programs have demonstrated reduced injury rates in their respective sport when used as indicated.
For more injury prevention tips, contact or visit our experienced physiotherapists in our Kellyville or Carlingford clinics today and schedule an appointment.
