6 Lesser-Known Ways To Prevent Injuries

Oct 1, 2018by Besh T

injury robot Injuries can come in all shapes and sizes, and unless you're a boxer or another type of pro fighter, they often come when you least expect them. It's reasonable to expect that you're going to get hit in the face when you step into a boxing ring, but for most sports the injuries happen completely out of nowhere.

We've already discussed tips on what to do after an injury, as well as advice on how to prevent sports injuries. Now, let's take it a step further. Let's try to prepare for the unpredictable using these lesser-known and sometimes unusual tips for preventing injuries. These aren't necessarily secrets or things you've never heard before, but you may not realize how important these tips are in terms of preventing injuries.

6. Take advantage of massage and acupuncture.

Acupuncture and massage have been around for not only centuries, but for thousands of years. Massage has a more credible reputation than acupuncture, which many people still doubt and attribute to the placebo effect, however we've put them both in the same category because they both focus on seeing a type of healer to manipulate your body into feeling better. Plus, if it helps you then it helps you, right? You can't argue with results. So, how can these techniques help you avoid an injury? A lot of people go for massage, physiotherapy and even acupuncture after being hurt, but loosening up and being in touch with your body can also help to prevent an injury. Massage therapy is very effective in reducing stress in the body. With less stress, you're a lot less likely to hurt yourself.

5. Get a good sleep each night.

If you're not sleeping well, try to figure out why not. Below you will find a list of some of the most common things that get in the way of a good sleep. Sometimes it's hard to tell what's actually causing you to wake up at night, since the disturbance could be gone by the time you've come to your senses. The things that stop us from being able to fall asleep are a lot easier to detect. Here's a list of both.

Cellphones will stop us from falling asleep earlier, and they’ll also wake us up at night. Even a phone on vibrate can wake you up if you're not a heavy sleeper. If you find yourself waking up in the middle of the night sometimes and aren't really sure why, try sleeping without your cellphone right next to your head.
Pets can be noisy at night, and a common complaint is being woken up by them. As much as you love your pets, what steps can you take to stop them from waking you up? Make sure they have food and water before you go to bed, and in time you may be able to condition and train them to leave you alone when you're asleep at night.
Loud neighbors or roommates aren't always easy to deal with. Sometimes, they won't recognize that they're being too loud and interrupted your sleep, sometimes they won't care. A lot of the time, just letting them know how loud they're being and how it's impacting your sleep is all it takes.
Electronics in the bedroom like televisions, computer screens and tablets with back lit screens can actually trick your eyes into thinking it's daytime, and that will throw off your sleep schedule.

4. Start off with a trainer.

When you're starting any kind of exercise or training, it's important to develop good habits and have perfect form. Looking at a picture on a chart of how to do an exercise properly, or even watching a video, will never be as good as having a trainer with you and scrutinizing your form and ensuring it's perfect. You don't need to have a personal trainer working with you every workout. Hiring someone to instruct you for a half hour or an hour on your first workout or two will likely cost around the same price as your monthly gym membership, so it's worth it to get off to a perfect start and correct and errors in form from the get-go. Bad form is a major cause of injury in just about any physical activity, not just working out, so make sure you've got that under control.

Tip: Most gyms have a resource where you can look up personal trainers who train there. If you're on a tight budget, you can probably find a university student who's taking sports medicine and offers personal training on the side to help pay for school.

3. Eat properly.

When your vehicle needs an oil change, it will start running worse and worse until it finally breaks down. Think of your body in the same way. Sure, you can eat junk and still get through the day, but when you're eating healthy you're giving your body the proper fuel. Eating right will keep your immune system strong, and your body's ability to heal itself will be in full force. The foods our bodies need to thrive are no secret, and most people have a pretty good grasp on what's healthy and what's junk, the next step is to take action on that knowledge and to fuel your body properly with the nutrients it needs to keep you strong, healthy, and to help you heal as quickly as possible when injury strikes.

2. Stay focused.

This isn't some abstract advice about staying focused in life and on your goals, it's a much more literal tip. This advice is much more practical than “eyes on the prize”. When you're playing sports, or working out, or doing anything physical make sure you're paying attention to what you're doing, plain and simple. Being in the zone is one thing, but injuries happen when you stop paying attention and your mind starts to wander. Don't let that happen to you!

1. Listen To Your Body.

This may not be the most unusual or lesser-known way to avoid injuries, but it's worth mentioning as often as possible so it has earned the number one spot on our list. Not all injuries happen out of nowhere. Sure, a sprained ankle can come as a total surprise, but often times our body will give us warning signs that an injury is developing and it's our job to not ignore these warnings.

man and woman diagnose an injury

In Conclusion..

Some of these uncommon tips to avoid injuries are very specific, while some are broad. Some are more common knowledge than others. Some are practical, some are more based on your mental state of mine. In any case, they all play their role in keeping you healthy and safe. Nobody wants to get injured, so follow these steps to decrease your likelihood of getting hurt while participating in your favorite athletic pass times.