Avoiding Winter Sports Injuries

As an athlete, avoiding injuries can be one of your main priorities. With darker days and colder temperatures, injuries can be more difficult to avoid in the winter than in the other seasons. At Island Sports Physical Therapy, we understand an athlete’s need to stay in the competition. That is why we’d like to offer the below tips to help you avoid getting injured this winter sports season!  

• Always Stay Hydrated: Making sure you stay hydrated is an important way to avoid injuries in general. Staying hydrated can help reduce the risk of suffering from muscle cramps and allows your body to properly regulate its temperature. The colder weather may have you feeling less thirsty than you normally would after a practice or a game. However, your body will still need you to replenish the fluids that were lost during this activity.

• Keep Up With Your Conditioning: The colder temperature can make working out and conditioning less than ideal. You may have the urge to skip out on that extra training session, but this could be detrimental to your overall performance. Athletes always need to be in peak physical condition to excel at their given sport. Competing when you are out of shape skyrockets the risk of injury occurring.

• Warm-Up/Cool-Down: Though overlooked by many athletes, taking the time to warm-up and cool-down can make all the difference between a successful game and early exit due to injury. Especially with colder temperatures, your muscles can be tighter and more rigid moments before your game or practice is set to begin. Jumping right into action can lead to serious injury. By warming up, you allow the blood flow and flexibility in your muscles to increase. Being loose will also help to increase your overall performance. A proper cool-down is just as important. Taking the time to cool-down allows your body to properly regulate its temperature, eliminating the risk of experiencing dizziness or fainting.

• Dress Appropriately: Wintertime is the perfect opportunity to partake in outdoor sports such as skiing or snowboarding. While the slopes may already be calling your name, you need to make sure you’re ready to participate. Dressing appropriately is imperative to avoiding injury. You need to dress not only warm but dry as well. Getting wet in the cold temperatures of winter will rapidly drop your body temperature and put you at risk for hypothermia. 

The wintertime offers a plethora of sports and activities that can only be participated in during this time of year. There are also a host of injuries you can suffer from as well.  The team at Island Sports Physical Therapy never wants an athlete to be sidelined as a result of an injury. If you have sustained one even after following our tips, be sure to contact us today to receive top-notch physical therapy as a treatment!