Staying Active Through The Summer

With the summertime in full swing and the children on their school holidays, getting involved in physical activities can be an excellent way of spending time with family and friends whilst staying fit and healthy. It doesn’t matter if you’re taking part in casual exercise, or in a more serious sporting event, taking precautions to prevent personal injury will allow you to fully enjoy physical exercise and attain the health benefits without any drawbacks.

This time of year more people experience injuries due to being increasingly physically active. Injuries are often sustained through poor warm ups prior to exercising. Not having the appropriate equipment such as shoes and braces can also be a major risk for incurring injury. The most common injuries suffered through an increase in physical exercise are sprains and strains. They are extremely common amongst those taking part in sporting events, regular exercise or even gardening.

During the winter months we do often neglect to exercise regularly, and this increases the potential risk of experiencing an injury during the more active summer months. Taking the time to gently warm up prior to exercise will ensure your muscles and joints are prepared for physical activities. Stretching thoroughly will help to improve your muscles natural ability to contract and perform well. Warming up and stretching adequately helps reduce the risk of strains and sprains occurring.

Having the correct equipment is essential to reducing the risk of injuries. Shoes are one of the most important pieces of equipment you will need. Do ensure that they are stable, fit properly, and have shock absorbing features. There are also braces available designed to stabilise areas prone to injury, two examples are below:

Ankle braces – Many ankle braces are designed to prevent the ankle from twisting inwards and outwards to provide the support needed for the activity.  Most ankle braces are made from comfortable material, allowing you to wear them with ease throughout the duration of the activity.  There are also a variety of ankle braces on the market suitable for recovery from an ankle injury such as those that provide cold compression to the affected area.

Back braces – Back braces are used by a wide range of people such as long distance drivers, office workers, the elderly and athletes wanting to prevent or relieve injuries to the back.  Back braces are particularly useful during the summer holidays when many families drive long distances to holiday in the UK.  For this use, there are specific back braces available for use in cars such as the Dynaspine Car Back Support.

If you are feeling fatigued you should stop and rest for a while. By continuing to exercise you will be at risk of an overuse injury and may worsen any pain felt. If an injury has been sustained, ensure that your body has been allowed time to heal prior to participating in any further strenuous activities. This is to avoid suffering from chronic ailments, which have not been allowed to fully heal.

Even when taking preventative precautions to reduce the risk of injuries, sometimes we will suffer one that is beyond our control. The following are some common injuries that do occur:

1. General cuts, bruises, and blisters
2. Ankle sprain
3. Hamstring strain
4. Swollen muscles
5. Shin splints
6. Tendinitis
7. Knee injury

 Take the simple steps listed in this article into consideration before, during, and after exercising so you can remain active throughout the summer. Remember to gently warm up and stretch adequately before exercising, whilst ensuring to cool down thoroughly after and make sure not to over exert yourself.

Aside from taking care of your physical health, be sure to have fun during these summer days; make the most of the holidays and enjoy the summertime!