Spring Sports Injuries

Spring time also means sports time for many of us. But it can also mean injury time if you're not careful.

No matter what the sport, we always see an upswing in injuries during the spring. Part of the reason is because after a few winter months of only intermittent sports activity or none at all, most of us are anxious to get back at it. The problem is that sometimes we are a bit too anxious and jump in with vigor only to find ourselves with an injury.

The best way to avoid this is to remember a couple of key points. Number one, start off slow and don't go all out the first few weeks. Secondly, and this isn’t always the easiest thing for most of us to remember, but we aren’t 16 anymore. That means we aren’t quite as spry and agile as we were a few years ago, so we’ll need more time to recover, especially after a tough go at it.

Some other tips to help keep you safe include making sure you warm up before exercising. And once you do start exercising you need to keep things consistent. Trying to be a weekend warrior and only playing a couple of days a week can set you up for an injury early on.

You'll also want to make sure you’re prepared for your particular sport. Check the equipment that’s been lying around all winter long to make sure it’s not worn out.

But perhaps the biggest tip is to remember to listen to your body and let pain be your guide. If it hurts to do something, than slow down or switch to a different activity. If you do get hurt, you might need to visit a doctor. But you also need to give yourself time to recover. Remember, you aren’t 16 anymore so won’t bounce back quite as quickly.