To first ensure a good and enticing game in sports, players must be properly dressed and prepared for competition. A majority of sport-related injuries are sprains, which are injuries to muscle fibers or tendons. Overstretching or over using a muscle can cause sprains. Fortunately, an injury so predominant can be prevented by a simple step: warming up before a practice. Warming up increases blood flow to your muscles and allows them to be more flexible, lessening the chances of a muscle sprain due to stretching them beyond their limit. Having said this, you should always sit down and take a break when you’re injured; it can lead to more severe injuries that can cause you to be put to the side. To further protect yourself, it is necessary to wear safety gear that is fit for your specific sport. These may include (but are not limited to) helmets, mouth guards, and knee pads. If you’re playing soccer, consider investing in soccer cleats; which have built in plastic spikes that prevent the risk of injury from falls and are worn for traction (the resistance against sliding). To invest in sport-related protective gear means preventing the investment for a taxing hospital bill. Another way to prevent a stay at the hospital is to properly hydrate. Hydration is an essential in terms of taking care of our well being. During competitions, we lose a lot of our water intake due to sweat. You should consume water before, during and after partaking in a sport. Even more so in hot climates, where your body heat can increase dramatically. Some symptoms of dehydration are dizziness, weakness and extreme thirst. Finally, always remember that one of the prime causes of sport-related injury is ignorance, always be aware of the proper safety precautions!
