As always, injury prevention has been a hot topic lately with our athletes and parents. Everyone wants to avoid injuries at all costs.
Here are 5 Quick Tips to stay injury free:
1) Get Screened Regularly
At least 2x/year make sure your athlete gets an IPS (injury prevention screening) from a performance specialist who knows biomechanics and corrective exercise.
Your athlete's body and mechanics are always changing. The athletes we have at PFP that are diligent about this stay injury free.
2) Avoid Processed Foods, Fast Foods, Soda, and High Sugar Beverages
These foods and drinks weaken your musculoskeletal system. For many, many reasons, a diet high in fast food, processed junk, and sugary/acidic beverages puts your athlete at a higher risk of injury.
3) Foam Roll Every Day
10-15 minutes is all you need. It's like brushing your teeth. Easy to do and it makes a BIG difference. Fail to do it, suffer the consequences. With the amount of activity athletes are doing nowadays, foam rolling is no longer a good idea- it is a necessity.
Make sure to ask us about our brand new $10/month In-season Recovery and Injury-Prevention Membership.
4) Stretch the Tight Muscles, Strengthen and Stabilize the Unstable Ones
Here are a few generalizations:
- Pre-pubescent males and females don't need a ton of stretching because the are already flexible. They DO need strengthening and stabilizing of their joints to avoid injury.
- Post-pubescent males are extremely tight and need to stretch 3-4 days per week.
- Females in general are more in need of strengthening and stabilizing of the hips, and mobilizing the ankles. Most ACL injuries are a result of weak hips and hamstrings. Most ankle sprains are a result of immobile ankles.
The lesson: every athlete is unique. Ask a movement and performance specialist what in particular YOUR athlete needs to stay healthy, and then make sure to stick to the plan they give you.
5) Be CONSISTENT with all 4 things above
I put this one as it's own "Tip" because it is at the root of the injury epidemic.
Consistency is King. Your athlete does some of those things when they are motivated. The problem is, motivation dies off.
That is where we come in and can help.
Send an email to info@pfpfit.com and let us know if your athlete could benefit from the accountability of a coach to ensure they stay bullet-proof and injury free.
It won't be easy to stay consistent, but it will be worth it.
Dedicated to your athlete's success,
Coach Andrew
