What are the content and methods of sports injury prevention measures?

The sports injury prevention we often talk about, to put it bluntly, is to embed risk prevention and control actions into the entire exercise process. It cannot be covered by just a dozen minutes of warm-up.

Don’t believe it. There was a young man in the running group I often go to last week. He usually runs at a steady pace of 4 and a half minutes for 5 kilometers, and his physical strength is not bad. Last week, he was temporarily dragged by a friend to participate in the corporate basketball game. He went on the court without any dynamic activation. He wore it. They are still cushioned running shoes for daily road running. They don’t even wear high-top ankle braces. After playing for less than 20 minutes, my foot sprained when I landed to grab a rebound. I suffered an avulsion fracture. I am still using crutches and can’t get off the ground. This is a typical pitfall of missing the front to prepare for stepping.

There are actually two different views on the core direction of prevention in the sports circle. One group advocates "pre-strengthening", which means to train the weak muscle groups of the corresponding events in daily life. For example, those who play badminton should practice rotator cuff stability to avoid acromion impingement, and those who run long distances should practice hip, knee and ankle strength to reduce iliotibial band friction syndrome. The essence is to rely on muscle mass to "insure the joints"”； The other group prefers "dynamic adjustment" and feels that there is no need to stick to the usual strength reserve. It is more important to flexibly adjust the plan according to the physical condition and environment on the day of exercise. For example, if you stayed up late the day before, don't rush to PB. If it rains and the ground is slippery, change the outdoor interval to indoor strength. Don't twist it with the body. In fact, these two ideas do not conflict at all, and the best protection effect is achieved when paired together.

I also encountered pitfalls when I was practicing CrossFit last year. At that time, I always felt that my core strength was sufficient. I was too lazy to wear a waist protector when doing deadlifts, and I didn't ask a coach to monitor my movements. As soon as the weight was added, my waist shrank. It took me a full month before I dared to touch the equipment. Later, I realized that seemingly trivial matters such as movement standards and protective gear fit are actually the core of prevention. Don’t always think that wearing protective gear is a sign of “dish”. Professional NBA players must wear customized knee and ankle braces on the court. We ordinary people do not have the muscle protection from years of training, so there is really no need to bear it.

Many people tend to miss the post-game part, thinking that it’s over after exercise. I know a fitness coach who has been working for 8 years. In the early years, he worked hard for performance and had five or six classes a day. After class, he didn’t have time to relax. Sometimes he didn’t even bother to eat. Now his knees I have suffered from strain for a long time, and it hurts on rainy days. Now, no matter what time I am busy every day, I have to foam roll for 20 minutes after practice or class, and then use a fascia gun for 10 minutes on the front of my thighs and around my knees, just to make up for the recovery work I missed before. Nowadays, many people are debating whether static or dynamic warm-up should be done. Some people say that static stretching will reduce strength and should not be done at all during warm-up. Others say that static stretching can improve flexibility and reduce strains. In fact, this also depends on the event. If you are doing powerlifting or sprinting, For projects that require explosive power, it is enough to focus on dynamic activation during warm-up. If you are practicing yoga or rhythmic gymnastics that require high flexibility, it is necessary to do appropriate static stretching before the game. You don't need to stick to a certain standard. It is most useful to adapt to your own exercise type.

After all, there is nothing mysterious about preventing sports injuries. Just don’t be pushy, don’t be lazy, and pay more attention to your body’s signals. Most common sprains, strains, and overwork injuries can be avoided.