How to Avoid Joint Damage As a Young Athlete
Find the right shoes., Wear a brace., Use pads and a helmet for contact sports.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Find the right shoes.
Having the correct footwear is essential to avoiding joint injuries, particularly in your legs and feet.
As an athlete, you will want to make sure that you are wearing the correct shoes for the sport you are playing.
Talk with the staff at your local sporting goods store to make sure that you find the right shoe for your activity.For example, if you wear running shoes while you play basketball, you are more likely to sprain your ankle.
The low tops of a running shoe do not provide the same amount of joint support as the high tops of a basketball shoe.
If you suffer from chronic joint pain in your legs and feet, you may also want to visit a podiatrist or an orthopedist to determine if you need special inserts such as arch supports. -
Step 2: Wear a brace.
There is little evidence that a brace will help you avoid a joint injury.
However, it can help you manage the pain of an existing injury.
You can buy a brace for most joints, including your knees, ankles, shoulders, elbows, and wrists.You can also purchase compress sleeves that can help your joints warm, provide support, and reduce swelling.
Talk with your doctor or physical therapist about wearing a brace. , If you are participating in any kind of contact sport, be sure to wear the appropriate padding.
Most padding is intended to protect the bones, tendons, and muscles of your joints.
By not wearing your pads, you make yourself more vulnerable to a joint injury.Although it may not look cool to wear knee, elbow, and wrist pads while you skateboard, they may protect you from a lifetime of chronic joint pain if you have a wreck.
If you are playing football, always wear your knee, thigh, and hip pads.
Although many college and professional players do not wear them, these pads provide an important layer of protection for your sensitive joints.
While wearing a helmet will obviously protect you from concussions, it also helps reduce damage to the neck and its vertebrae. -
Step 3: Use pads and a helmet for contact sports.
Detailed Guide
Having the correct footwear is essential to avoiding joint injuries, particularly in your legs and feet.
As an athlete, you will want to make sure that you are wearing the correct shoes for the sport you are playing.
Talk with the staff at your local sporting goods store to make sure that you find the right shoe for your activity.For example, if you wear running shoes while you play basketball, you are more likely to sprain your ankle.
The low tops of a running shoe do not provide the same amount of joint support as the high tops of a basketball shoe.
If you suffer from chronic joint pain in your legs and feet, you may also want to visit a podiatrist or an orthopedist to determine if you need special inserts such as arch supports.
There is little evidence that a brace will help you avoid a joint injury.
However, it can help you manage the pain of an existing injury.
You can buy a brace for most joints, including your knees, ankles, shoulders, elbows, and wrists.You can also purchase compress sleeves that can help your joints warm, provide support, and reduce swelling.
Talk with your doctor or physical therapist about wearing a brace. , If you are participating in any kind of contact sport, be sure to wear the appropriate padding.
Most padding is intended to protect the bones, tendons, and muscles of your joints.
By not wearing your pads, you make yourself more vulnerable to a joint injury.Although it may not look cool to wear knee, elbow, and wrist pads while you skateboard, they may protect you from a lifetime of chronic joint pain if you have a wreck.
If you are playing football, always wear your knee, thigh, and hip pads.
Although many college and professional players do not wear them, these pads provide an important layer of protection for your sensitive joints.
While wearing a helmet will obviously protect you from concussions, it also helps reduce damage to the neck and its vertebrae.
About the Author
Brittany Castillo
Enthusiastic about teaching pet care techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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