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[Video] Preventing injury – advice from professional athletes
To be successful in sport, you have to learn to manage and look after your body. Maintaining strong muscles, and staying flexible and mobile, is the key to performing at your best level and avoiding injury.
In this video, myself and fellow athletes, Hannah Cockroft and Nile Wilson, talk about looking after your muscles, bones and joints. We share our tips for preventing injury and keeping yourself in the best physical shape.
Nile Wilson:
I think one of the biggest things people neglect is mobility and flexibility and movements. Often time when a muscle is pulled, it's probably because they've got into a position that their body's not used to. So if you can stretch and do some form of mobility and flexibility every single day, that is paramount for staying injury free, without a doubt.
Hannah Cockroft:
I have never had an injury. So I must be quite good at injury prevention. I don't know, or not training hard enough. One of the two.
Will Bayley:
I literally tore my cruciate ligament. I had to do my rehab on my own, and I didn't realize how big an operation it was. Every day, I'm trying to learn about my injury and I'm still managing my knee, every day.
Hannah Cockroft:
With my disability when I'm in my race chair, I kind of sit on my legs. So I get really, really sore legs.
Nile Wilson:
My first real experience of injury was when I was 14. I had a double stress fracture in my lower back. I had to do a rehab. When I was 18, I tore the cartilage off the bone in my wrist. I had a surgery, and then I had to do a rehab. When I was 21, I snapped my ankle ligaments, had a surgery and had to do rehab. By the time at this point, I'm used to the process. It never gets easier. You control the controllables, you try and just focus on that.
Hannah Cockroft:
It was straight away drummed into me that you always get a good warmup. Always get a good cool down. Always have the recovery you need between reps. Always do your stretching. Always make sure that you've done those little, little things because they can make such a big difference.
Will Bayley:
I get really stiff joints and to have that opportunity to use the physios is massive. When I'm working with the physio, a lot of the exercises that we do with them in the gym is helping prevent injuries, because I'm trying to get stronger. The stronger I am physically, the less likely I'm going to get an injury.
Nile Wilson:
Just consistent routine and focus on the little muscles, the sort we call rehab. I spend an hour every day warming up and that will be getting every single muscle warm, conditioning and stretching. I think people neglect that. They just go cold, straight into whatever they're doing. How many times has it happened? I wish I didn't have that last go because I broke my ankle. I wish I didn't. And I think the more you can be in tune with that, and just listen to your body, it's just really powerful.
Hannah Cockroft:
Don't just run in and go straight to the bench press machine. Go in, do a little stretch, do a little warmup. So maybe, a little run on the treadmill, a slow one. I think just be very aware of your own fitness level.
Nile Wilson:
I had physio every week when I wasn't injured and that was a preventative. It was making sure that certain areas where I get tired, I keep loose.
Hannah Cockroft:
If you've got any kind of injuries or little niggles, always go to professionals. Don't try and self-treat it because it can only make it worse.
Nile Wilson:
I love soft tissue treatment. It just made me feel that I can believe it's helping you then absolutely do it. Sleep and food it's top two. It's all about your sleep and what you're putting in your body, definitely.
Will Bayley:
To be successful. You have to learn how to manage your body and yeah, still learning.
Key points from the video
Personal experiences
Hannah Cockroft, Paralympic athlete
“I’ve never had an injury, so I must be quite good at injury prevention! It’s been drummed into me to always do a good warm up, and always do a good cool down. Always have the recovery between reps, and always do your stretching. These little things will make a big difference.”
Will Bayley, Paralympic athlete
“I tore my cruciate ligament in my knee. I didn’t realise what a big operation it was. I’m trying to learn about my injury and I’m still managing my knee every day. I get really stiff joints, so I work with physiotherapists often. A lot of the exercises I do in the gym with them is to prevent injury.”
Nile Wilson, gymnast
“The biggest thing people neglect is flexibility and mobility. Often, a muscle is pulled because you’ve got into a position that your body isn’t used to. My first real experience of injury was when I was 14. I had a double stress fracture in my lower back. When I was 18, I torn the cartilage in my wrist. When I was 21, I snapped my ankle. I’m sort of used to the process of surgery and rehab, but it never gets easier. Being in tune with your body is really powerful.”
Athletes’ tips for preventing injury
Warm up and cool down
Make time before any workout, run or sport session to do a proper warm up and cool down. This should include some dynamic stretches (stretches that work your muscles and joints through their full range of motion) and light aerobic activity.
Stretch often
Keep your muscles and joints flexible and mobile by doing some stretching and mobility exercises every day. Focus especially on the muscle groups you use for your sport or exercise. For example, if you’re a runner, focus on leg and hip stretches.
Strengthen your muscles
Keeping your muscles strong helps to reduce injury. Aim to do two strength training sessions a week, such as using weights or doing body weight exercises.
Listen to your body
Be aware of your own fitness levels and don’t push yourself beyond your fitness level. If you have any kind of injury or niggle, don’t carry on. Always see a professional, such as a physiotherapist, for assessment and treatment.
If you have a muscle, bone or joint problem, our direct access service aims to provide you with the advice, support and treatment you need as quickly as possible. If you’re covered by your health insurance, you’ll be able to get advice from a physiotherapist usually without the need for a GP referral. Learn more today.
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