For all sports, achieving personal goals and claiming sweet victory requires training hard and playing even harder. But when athletes push themselves too hard, they risk injury that can make them unable to play the game they love.
That's why sports safety is so important. For nearly two decades, Syracuse Orthopedic Specialists (SOS) has helped athletes at all levels get treatment and get back in the game. While we've helped athletes get better from sports injuries, our sports medicine team wants to do our part in helping prevent sports injuries in the first place.
Below are sports safety tips, including sports injury prevention tips for specific sports.
If You or a Loved One Already Had a Sports Injury, See an SOS Sports Medicine Doctor
For years, the SOS team of sports medicine doctors, sports medicine surgeons and physical therapists have helped athletes recover from injuries.
Get total orthopedic care for sports injuries at SOS.
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Sports Safety Tips: Football Injury Prevention
As football players enjoy their Friday Night Lights, the SOS Sports Medicine Team and Athletic Trainers have a few sports safety tips for the gridiron.
Sports Safety Tips: Football Injury Prevention
- Wear appropriate protective gear - a hard shell helmet and sufficient padding, and check regularly for wear and tear and proper fit.
- Keep your head up.
- Maintain your flexibility with daily stretching.
- Stay hydrated and eat a well-balanced diet.
- Pay attention to field conditions and know wet, slippery fields have more risk.
- Make sure to properly warm up before and cool down after every practice and game.
Sports Safety Tips: Soccer Injury Prevention
The SOS Sports Medicine Team and Athletic Trainers have a few tips for staying safe onsides and offsides.
Sports Safety Tips: Soccer Injury Prevention
- Wear proper protective gear including shin guards and mouth guards.
- Limit heading the ball, and it's recommended that players 10 and under not run heading drills.
- Maintain your flexibility with daily stretching.
- Stay hydrated and eat a well-balanced diet.
- Pay attention to field conditions and goal post stability.
- Make sure to properly warm up before and cool down after every practice and game.
Sports Safety Tips: Sports Injury Prevention for Field Hockey
Field hockey seems to have its origins in Ancient Egypt, as a 4,000 year old tomb has been found with drawings of crooks and a ball. Field hockey is growing in popularity among American female athletes. The SOS Sports Medicine and Athletic Trainers have a few sports safety tips for staying injury-free on the field.
Sports Safety Tips: Sports Injury Prevention for Field Hockey
- Wear appropriate personal protective gear, including gloves, eyewear and mouthguards.
- Gradually increase the frequency, intensity and duration of training to avoid overuse injuries. Balance cardiovascular, strength, flexibility and skills training.
- Be aware of potentially hazardous environmental conditions like excessively hot and wet conditions and plan accordingly.
- Report all injuries in a timely fashion and seek appropriate medical care. Don't try to "play through the pain."
- Hydrate regularly throughout play.
Sports Safety Tips: Tennis Injury Prevention
The SOS Sports Medicine Team and Athletic Trainers have a few tips for staying safe on court and off.
Sports Safety Tips: Tennis Injury Prevention
- Wear the correct gear. Wear the right tennis shoes with skid-resistant soles and make sure your racquet has the correct grip size and string tension.
- Use good technique - don't arch the back excessively when serving and avoid landing on the balls of the feet.
- Clean off the courts before play and check for slippery spots or debris.
- Warm up thoroughly prior to play and cool down when done playing.
- Hydrate regularly throughout play.
Sports Safety Tips: Basketball Injury Prevention
As basketball players practice jump shots and work on three pointers, the SOS Sports Medicine Team and Athletic Trainers have a few sports safety tips for shooting hoops.
Sports Safety Tips: Basketball Injury Prevention
- Maintain good fitness levels before and during the season.
- Warm up and stretch before each session.
- Play on a clean, dry, safe surface.
- Stretch before and after each game.
- Stay hydrated at practice and during games.
- Use proper technique and follow the rules
- Play only your position and know where other players are on the court to reduce the chance of collisions.
- Do not hold, block, push, charge or trip opponents.
- Wear gym shoes that fit snugly, are non-skid and have high tops.
- Use a mouth guard, ankle braces and safety glasses.
Sports Safety Tips: Cheerleading Injury Prevention
There's more to cheerleading than a few kicks and yells of "Go Team!" In fact, cheerleading has morphed into an athletic activity that incorporates elements of dance and gymnastics along with stunts and pyramid formations. Today, cheerleaders not only support another athletic team, but also participate in intense competitions, increasing risk for injury. The SOS Sports Medicine Team and Athletic Trainers have a few sports safety tips for cheerleaders as they compete for themselves and cheer on others to victory.
Sports Safety Tips: Cheerleading Injury Prevention
- Incorporate regular resistance exercises to gain strength in the lower back, core and shoulders to prepare for cheering.
- Perform regular stretching, yoga, or pilates instruction to improve flexibility and strength.
- Start by learning basic skills and only move up to more complicated stunts under the guidance of a qualified coach.
- Only perform stunts you have practiced and learned under supervision.
- Use mats during practice sessions and as much as possible during competitions.
- Do not attempt a stunt if tired, injured or ill.
- Practice and perform in areas that have enough space from potential dangers such as walls, pillars or crowds.
- Always have supervision during stunts.
Sports Safety Tips: Skiing Injury Prevention
While ski teams gear up to get outside and show their stuff on the powder, the SOS Sports Medicine Team and Athletic Trainers have a few sports safety tips for when you're on the slopes.
Sports Safety Tips: Skiing Injury Prevention
- Take lessons with a qualified instructor before braving the slopes. Learn how to fall correctly and safely.
- Know safety rules. Understand and abide by all rules. Know general safety rules, such as how to safely stop, merge and yield to others.
- Wear appropriate protective gear, including goggles and a helmet. Helmets are sport-specific; do not wear a bike helmet on the slopes. Ski helmets should be worn.
- Wear several layers of light, loose and water- and wind-resistant clothing for warmth and protection. Layering allows you to accommodate your body's constantly changing temperature.
- Buy boots and bindings that have been set, adjusted, maintained and tested by a ski shop.
- Check the binding of each ski before skiing. The bindings must be properly adjusted to your height and weight.
- Stay on the competition course and marked trails only.
- Watch out for rocks and patches of ice on the ski trails.
- Pay attention to warnings about upcoming storms and severe drops in temperature. Make adjustments for icy conditions, deep snow powder and wet snow.
Sports Safety Tips: Sports Injury Prevention for Ice Hockey
Hockey has been growing in popularity as a sport for both males and females in high school. Hockey is a fast-paced sport and combines players of different sizes and speed together on an ice rink with furious non-stop action. Due to the hard-hitting, physical nature of the game, hockey players put themselves at risk for injury at any moment while playing. The SOS Sports Medicine Team and Athletic Trainers have a few sports safety tips for when you're on the ice.
Sports Safety Tips: Sports Injury Prevention for Ice Hockey
- Participate in a sports-specific conditioning program to avoid physical overload.
- Wear proper, quality equipment that fits well and is not damaged, worn-out, or undersized.
- Play by the rules. Players and coaches should always demonstrate sportsmanship and mutual respect for their opponents and the officials.
- Incorporate whole body stretching into your warm up, but pay specific attention to the lower back, hips and groin.
- Report all injuries in a timely fashion and seek appropriate medical care. Don't try to "play through the pain."
- Hydrate regularly throughout play
SOS Sports Medicine Doctors Provide Total Orthopedic Care In the Event of a Sports Injury
While the above sports safety tips can greatly reduce the likelihood of injury, unfortunately, sports injuries do happen sometimes.
If you or a loved one develop an injury from playing a sport, the experienced sports medicine doctors at Syracuse Orthopedic Specialists (SOS) can provide care and personalized treatment for a healthy recovery, empowering patients to get back in the game.
Our sports medicine doctors include specialists who have served as team doctors for local high school teams, college sports teams and professional sports organizations.
"My daughter had a very serious knee injury playing a high school sport 2 years ago...Reconstruction surgery was done. My daughter returned her senior year [and] earned MVP! She is currently playing volleyball at the college level and is seeking to play beach volleyball in the future! She couldn't be happier!"
- Cathleen, mother of a satisfied SOS patient
The SOS sports medicine team includes physical therapists, surgeons and specialists who have the experience and medical knowledge to help athletes achieve a healthy recovery.
If you or a loved one have experienced a sports injury, an SOS sports medicine doctor can help.
Need Immediate Care for a Sports Injury? Visit SOS PLUS
When you need immediate medical attention for acute sports injuries, stop by an SOS PLUS location near you. SOS PLUS is a walk-in orthopedic clinic, providing the immediate medical care you need after a sports injury.
SOS PLUS is located iat our Dewitt office.
For SOS PLUS hours and driving directions...