Being involved in sports and athletics is a great way to stay healthy and in shape. Yet without careful planning and strength training, you can set yourself up for an injury. At Endurance Rehabilitation, your Phoenix, AZ, physical therapy team, we are here to help you if you get injured, but we also know that avoiding injury in the first place is always better. Here are our top tips to help you avoid sports injuries.

Stretch Well

Always stretch well before you start playing your sport, with an emphasis on the muscle groups you use most. The more limber and flexible your body is, the better it will be able to withstand the impacts and movements of your athletic workout.

Strengthen Carefully

When you aren’t on the court or field, spend some time in the weight room. Strengthen the muscle groups you need most for your sport, and make sure you work on both sides of the muscle. For instance, if your sport uses the arms, make sure you work both the biceps and triceps muscle groups for even strength. Working with a professional will help you build a strength training plan that works well for your sport.

Warm up and Cool Down

Muscles need to both warm up and cool down before intense work. Make sure you do both before and after you play.

Listen to Your Body

The best thing you can do to protect yourself from sports injuries is to listen to your body. If something hurts, beyond simply the muscle aches common to exercise, don’t just push through it. Get an evaluation from a sports physical therapist to see if you are doing something wrong, and give your body rest when you need it.

If you have further questions about how you can avoid sports injuries, make an appointment with the performance team at Endurance Rehab.