Preventing InjuriesPreventing Injuries

Prevention is better than Prevention is better than treatment.treatment.

Here are some ways that you Here are some ways that you can avoid sports injuries.can avoid sports injuries.

Make sure you are fit for the activity.

• Only play sport when you are feeling fit and healthy.

• And you have no existing injuries.

Make sure that you develop the right

techniques.• A bad technique in

any sport can lead to an injury.

• Eg. Poorly throwing the javelin can lead to an arm injury.

• Girls tag rugby training – two girls hurt their wrists through poor catching techniques.

Play at the right level.Play at the right level.

• Play with the right age group.Play with the right age group.• Play with a team or to a level that matches your ability.Play with a team or to a level that matches your ability.• Eg. If a young novice boxer played an adult Eg. If a young novice boxer played an adult

professional, it would mean certain injury.professional, it would mean certain injury.

Know the rules of your Know the rules of your sport and obey them.sport and obey them.

• Rules are there for Rules are there for your protection.your protection.

• So listen to the So listen to the referee they are referee they are making decisions making decisions that may prevent that may prevent you or a team you or a team mate an injury.mate an injury.

(even if you don’t (even if you don’t agree with them!)agree with them!)

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=football+pain

Make sure you are Make sure you are wearing the right kit.wearing the right kit.

• If the sport that you If the sport that you play requires play requires protective gear, protective gear, write write down 5 examplesdown 5 examples

• for example a mouth for example a mouth guard, shin pads, guard, shin pads, ankle support, waist ankle support, waist support, shoulder support, shoulder pads, boxing gloves or pads, boxing gloves or helmets!helmets!

• Footwear is also Footwear is also important, so choose important, so choose carefully.carefully.

•Mouth Mouth guardguard•Shin padsShin pads•Ankle Ankle supportsupport•Waist Waist support support •Shoulder Shoulder pads pads •GlovesGloves•HelmetsHelmets

Make sure that your Make sure that your equipment is in good equipment is in good

working order.working order.• Damaged or Damaged or

broken kit can broken kit can be dangerous be dangerous and put your and put your safety and the safety and the safety of others safety of others in jeopardy.in jeopardy.

Lift and carry Lift and carry equipment with care.equipment with care.

• Lifting heavy equipment can cause you to sustain Lifting heavy equipment can cause you to sustain an injury. So if you were a weight lifter, how would an injury. So if you were a weight lifter, how would you ensure that you are fully warmed-up?you ensure that you are fully warmed-up?

This technique is This technique is poor and can lead to poor and can lead to muscle strain in the muscle strain in the back.back.

These are These are correctcorrect

Write down one Write down one other example of other example of carrying heavy carrying heavy objects in sport objects in sport safelysafely

Watch out for hazards Watch out for hazards in the playing area.in the playing area.

• Broken glass on Broken glass on pitches, wet patches pitches, wet patches on floors and even on floors and even rakes left in long rakes left in long jump pits can all jump pits can all cause accidents and cause accidents and injuries.injuries.

• Weather conditions Weather conditions should also be taken should also be taken into consideration. into consideration. As a lack of visibility As a lack of visibility can cause accidents.can cause accidents.

Warm up and cool down correctly.

Warm upWarm upInjuries such Injuries such as strained as strained and pulled and pulled

muscles can muscles can be avoided be avoided by warming by warming up correctly.up correctly.

Cool downCool down A correct cool A correct cool

down helps down helps prevent stiffness prevent stiffness

and soreness, and soreness, increasing increasing

recovery time. recovery time. This makes you This makes you better prepared better prepared

for the next event.for the next event.

Summary

• Prevention is better than curePrevention is better than cure• Only play sport when feeling healthy Only play sport when feeling healthy

and fitand fit• Using the right techniques reduces Using the right techniques reduces

chance of causing an injury to chance of causing an injury to yourself and othersyourself and others

• Check equipment/playing surfacesCheck equipment/playing surfaces