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Unfortunately
injuries are always going to be a part of sport. Learning to cope
with them can be a challenging and frustrating event in your life.
Sometimes an injury can teach you a lot about your body, while
creating a more seasoned and mature athlete.
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Preventing
Injuries
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Even
though there are many ways to reduce the probability of injuries,
there is never any way to prevent them entirely. Here are some
preventative measures for staying off the injured list.
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A proper warm-up is probably
the best way to prevent injury. It is very easy to pull or
tear a muscle if it is not warm and stretched. Always start
workouts wearing sweats or warm-ups. Make sure to constantly
move during warm-up; it’s not the time to chat with your
friends.
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Be honest about informing
coaches of pain. It is good to be tough, but don’t over-do
it.
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Always follow a prevention
plan to maintain strength around chronic injury areas. Even if
you think your injury is healed, you still may be prone to
further injury in that area. Sometimes injured ligaments and
tendons never fully regain their elasticity, so you must keep
those areas strong.
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Overcoming Psychological Barriers
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Sometimes
the psychological recovery is the hardest part of the injury
process.
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Do not forget the importance
of basics. Always resume training at a slow and methodical
pace—building confidence one step at a time.
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While injured, do mental
imagery of skills to maintain mental concepts. The benefits of
mental imagery have been proven time and time again.
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Remember that injuries take
time to heal and overcome. You may not see the progress while
it occurs.
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Know that overcoming an injury
builds strength, maturity, and character.
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If you are willing to train at
the highest level of competition, then be aware of the
increased risk of injury and don’t be surprised or hard on
yourself if it does occur.
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Maintain Progress
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The
key to recovering from injuries, is realizing that they are minor
set backs in the big picture. Injuries can be a good opportunity
to work on those areas that have been neglected. Many athletes who were injured
have come back stronger
than before because they worked on problem areas that consistently
plagued them.
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Make sure you are giving yourself
the proper nutrition for recovery. Consult a qualified
nutritionist for a diet that is customized to your individual
needs.
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Mental Attitudes that cause Over-Use
Injuries
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These
are some mental attitudes to stay away from. It is your
responsibility to recognize the signs of these pitfalls before
it’s too late.
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Always
pushing yourself to the limit;
excessive competition with self or others.
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Addiction to routine without
regard to conditions such as hunger, illness, injury, or sheer
fatigue.
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Putting unrealistic demands on
yourself such as training when fatigued or ill, or returning
to your regimen before an injury has had proper time to heal.
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Using your sport as the only
focal point in your life (getting your emotional needs met
from only one source).
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