Sports Injury Prevention & Treatment at Baptist

From Jason Little, CEO, Baptist Memorial Health Care

Sports injuries are some of the most common injuries people experience – in fact, more than 10 million sports injuries occur every year. My kids love being active, especially once summer arrives and temperatures get warmer. My wife and I do everything we can to make sure they are playing safely, wearing the right protective gear, and staying hydrated.

Whether you’re cooling off at the swimming pool, playing a volleyball game with friends, or running in a marathon, you are at risk for a sports injury. However, there are many simple things you can do to prevent them. Keep the following tips in mind:

• Plan at least one day off from sports per week so your body has time to recover.
• Use conditioning exercises during practice to strengthen your muscles.
• Stretch before and after games or practice, as well as during your daily fitness routine, to improve flexibility.
• Wear properly fitted protective equipment like helmets, pads, face guards, protective cups, mouthpieces, and eyewear.
• Make sure you are practicing the right technique and using it at all times.
• Take rest breaks during practice and games.
• Drink plenty of fluids before, during, and after exercise.
• If possible, avoid practicing or playing games during periods of high heat or humidity.
• Play safely and abide by all safety rules to minimize risk of injury.
• If you feel pain at any time, stop the activity immediately.

We all know injuries can occur even when the proper precautions are taken – that’s why Baptist Memorial Health Care is proud to offer advanced sports medicine services. Our sports medicine staff includes exercise specialists, exercise physiologists, athletic trainers, physical therapists, sports medicine specialists, and certified weight training specialists. Patients can take advantage of on-site event coverage, acute rehabilitation, post-injury rehabilitation conditioning and training, and aquatic therapy. Whether you are a competitive athlete or just enjoy fitness for fun, Baptist has top quality sports medicine therapy services that manage post-operative and non-operative physical dysfunction.

Fitness is great for your physical, mental, and emotional health, but it is important to be aware of the risks and take the right precautions to keep yourself safe. Luckily, if you or a loved one does suffer a sports injury, you can find peace of mind knowing that Baptist is here to help with your recovery.

Do you have any questions about how Baptist addresses different types of sports injuries? Leave a comment or send me a tweet at @Jason_M_Little.