Maximize fun and minimize pain with the following safety tips for you or your child’s favorite summer sports!
Tennis
At Azalea, we see patients with tennis elbow constantly, so we understand the pain it can cause. Tennis Elbow is a difficult to treat inflammation of the tendons that join the forearm muscles and bone on the outside of the elbow, usually caused by overuse. If you’re a tennis player experiencing pain around the elbow that worsens when squeezing objects or moving your wrist forcefully, you may need to see a doctor.
To avoid tennis elbow, be sure to:
- Make sure you are getting the rest your body needs; take a day off after a tournament.
- Strengthen your arms and back – being out of shape makes you vulnerable to injury.
- Stretch before practice and playing.
- Avoid repetitive movements that strain the same muscles.
Swimming
Almost everyone is getting their feet wet to beat the heat this summer! Swimmers are at risk of injury due to repetitive motions that strain joints. Some common injuries are swimmer’s shoulder, caused by pressure on the rotator cuff, and breaststroker’s knee, stress on the inner ligament of the Knee caused by external rotation of the knee due to the nature of the stroke.
Before you dive in, remember to:
- Use good stroke technique.
- Take breaks when performing repetitive movements.
- To prep for the season, practice core strengthening and cross-training exercises.
- Maintain good body posture.
- Develop efficient symmetrical body rotation to reduce strain on the shoulder and spine while breathing.
For the recreational swimmer:
- Know the depth of the water.
- Teach children basic swimming skills and water safety.
- Keep a portable phone around the pool area in case of emergencies.
Cycling
Cycling is popular for sport, recreation or transportation. Many will experience injuries affecting the knees, head, neck/back, wrist or foot if they do not follow basic safety principles.
Before you hit the bike trail, be sure to:
- Always wear a helmet.
- Wear the right shoes; make sure they are not too narrow.
- Regularly perform shoulder shrugs and neck stretches to reduce strain.
- Adjust cleat positions or use shoe implants if you are experiencing knee pain.
- Change your grip on the handlebar regularly.
- Ride with your elbows slightly bent.
If you or your athlete complains of pain or restricted movement a day after prolonged exercise, see a sports medicine professional as soon as possible.
