Have you recently started training for your winter sport?  Are you pulling up sore, Feeling stiff, tight muscles, achy back, rolled an ankle, twisted a knee? Does any of this sound familiar to you?  This is a very common pattern we see in many of our patients… and ourselves.

As physio’s, the start of the winter sporting season, is when we see the highest number of muscle and joint injuries throughout the year.

Why is this? Put simply, our bodies are just not prepared for the increased demand we are putting on them when we suddenly start a new sport, or return to sport after having had a break.

Each sport has different demands, whether it be running faster than you usually would, jumping repeatedly, changing direction frequently, being involved in contact.  However many of these movements and activities are things we would not usually be doing in our everyday lives. 

If we have not prepared our bodies to cope with these new movements, they will not respond well. And we put ourselves at a significantly increased risk of injury.  Even Injuries that may start as simple aches and pains, have the potential to lead to more serious conditions, that may see you sitting out on the sidelines for a large part of the season.  

You can reduce the chances of ending up in this boat by being prepared.  Lucky our team at DMP are here to help!  Check out our upcoming posts for our advice on how to stay injury free and on the field this season!

  1. Get mobile …. But don’t stretch too much! (coming soon)
  2. Strengthen – Be specific and load up! (coming soon)
  3. Always warm up using agility and coordination drills (coming soon)
  4. Train for the unexpected (coming soon)
  5. Develop your core …….But what is it, and how? (coming soon)
  6. Recovery – Active recovery, compression, sleep, fatigue (coming soon)

Need some extra help?  Why not book a sport screening to make sure you are at the top of your game at the start of this sporting season!