Water sports and injuries often go hand in hand. With about 17 million people in the UK participating in water sports activities, the number of injuries is substantial.
While some damage is hard to avoid, it's possible to prevent a big number of water sports injuries. In 2017, more than 20,000 water sport-related injuries occurred.
By taking the right approach to preparations and listening to tay healthy while doing what you love. We would like to share our top physiotherapy expert tips for amateur and professional water sportsmen.
Common Water Sports Injuries
Each water sport comes with a set of related injuries. Depending on which sport you are taking up, you have to be aware of the problems you may face.
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Water-skiing — ankle sprains, sprains, and fractures, Achilles tendon ruptures, osteochondral lesions of the talus
- Wakeboarding — head and face lacerations
- Intertubing — head and neck sprains and strains, concussions
- Jet Skiing — concussion, lacerations
- Surfing — bruising, concussion, dislocated shoulders
- Kayaking and Rafting — severe cuts, bruises, head and neck injuries (whiplash, concussion)
- Swimming — shoulder and low back pain, knee injury.
When it comes to water sports, it's not always possible to take full control of the situation to avoid injuries. However, in most cases, they occur due to the lack of preventive measures.
Injury Prevention: Physiotherapy Expert Tips
Even the smallest sport-related injuries could ruin your training schedule or disrupt a fun holiday. By taking advantage of these tips, it's possible to keep the damage to a minimum.
- Warm-up on-shore.
- Wear protective gear.
- Follow safety guidelines.
- Stay hydrated.
- Learn when to stop.
- Avoid drinking alcohol.
- Bring a friend.
- Study your abilities.
- Maintain a healthy diet.
1. Warm-Up On-Shore
Your body needs to be prepared for the strain it's about to take in the water. Cold and unprepared muscles are more prone to injury. Before jumping into the water, go through a series of traditional warm-up exercises for 10 to 15 minutes.
You can add some stretching to the routine to help avoid injuries. Remember to warm up before starting to stretch. Otherwise, you could pull a muscle.
2. Wear Protective Gear
The majority of water sports comes with certain risks, which can be avoided by wearing proper safety equipment. Even if you are 100% sure of your abilities, unexpected problems may arise. Learn how to use protective gear from the start to make it part of your routine.
When it comes to such a chaotic element as water, your expertise may not be enough to keep you injury-free. So be it helmets or life jackets, don't avoid using them. To protect your lower extremities, consider wearing shin protectors, knee braces, and spray legs.
Pay special attention to the size of the gear. It must fit you perfectly.
3. Follow Safety Guidelines
If you prefer recreational water sports, make sure to read the safety guidelines. If you've never read them before, it's time to start. You may discover something surprising and extremely useful for your well-being.
Do some of those guidelines seem too strict? Remember, they are developed by sports experts and health professionals with decades of experience.
4. Stay Hydrated
Proper hydration is essential for the top performance of your body. Without it, you may sustain many unexpected injuries.
Water provides your body with sufficient electrolytes. It helps you stay energized and alert while performing at a higher level. Without proper hydration, your body doesn't get a sufficient amount of synovial fluid, which lubricates your joints. This could lead to poor performance and joint pain.
Lack of proper hydration could lead to high pain sensitivity, keeping you from exercising better and longer. Water removes toxins from your body, allowing the muscle to recover quicker.
Dehydration could lead to muscle cramping, causing muscle strains, or even tears. You need to make sure you keep your hydration levels high even when you aren't exercising. It's an ongoing practice for water sports athletes.
5. Learn When to Stop
In the race to achieve water sports goals, many athletes overload their muscles. Fatigued muscles are more prone to injuries. That's why you need to learn your limits and avoid stretching them.
A well-timed break allows your body to recover quickly so you can continue to train or have fun in the water.
6. Avoid Drinking Alcohol
Some people believe that a couple of drinks can make recreational water sports more exciting. In reality, alcohol impairs your judgment, hinders your concentration, and affects your coordination.
All of the above could lead to serious injury or lethal consequences. Try not to drink alcohol the night before your water sports adventure. A hangover can have similar adverse effects.
7. Bring a Friend
All water sports require supervision. While you may love going solo on your wakeboard, consider using a buddy system. Water is an unpredictable element, which may render you immobile at any time. Having someone next to you can help prevent serious injuries.
8. Study Your Abilities
When it comes to water sports, it's always tempting to do something advanced. However, as with many sports, advanced moves require a certain set of skills and lengthy practice. Trying to stretch your current abilities to perform advanced tricks could lead to injuries.
9. Maintain a Healthy Diet
To make sure you have sufficient energy to perform well in water sports, you need to maintain a healthy diet. Learn which food can help keep your muscles in top shape and allow them to recover quickly.
Know When to Ask For Help
Even the smallest water sports injury could lead to serious consequences. When you feel that something is wrong, you have to ask for help as soon as possible.
Physiotherapy is one of the most efficient ways to deal with sports-related injuries. Taking advantage of it could help you get back in the water as soon as possible and prevent problems in the future.
NOTE: Due to the COVID19 pandemic, CK Physiotherapy can assess, correct and progress exercises, give advice and show you alternative techniques you can use at home to self-massage and manipulate. This is offered via Skype/FaceTime/Zoom consultations at £35 for self-paying patients. BUPA, AVIVA, and AXA have all approved remote consultations. To set up an appointment at the nearest physiotherapy clinic in Ealing, please contact us today.
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