Page 46 - JULY SFM 2017 .indd

Are You Ready for Fall Sports?

by Dr. Branden McDowell, PT, SCS
Optimal Rehabilitation & Wellness

Summer is here. School is out. It is time to have fun with your friends and relax
for the next few months. Many student athletes do exactly that, and many stu-
dent athletes then injure themselves when sports start up in the fall. Their body
is just not ready to stand up to the rigors that fall sports create. Has this hap-
pened to you? Your friend? Your son or daughter?

The easiest way to recover from an injury is to not get injured in the first place.
Sound silly? Maybe, but most, yes most, non-traumatic sports injuries are
caused by lack of preparation. Injuries of this nature are usually caused by poor
flexibility, poor strength, or poor coordination. Often times, athletes rely on the
fact that they are young, strong, and were in shape a few months ago. No one ex-
pects to get injured, it just happens. Injuries can happen to anyone at any time,
but the more prepared you are, the less likely they are to happen or continue to
happen.

Off season training is not only great for injury prevention, but it is great for im-
proved performance. Spending a few days a week, for a couple hours each time,
can really improve your performance and ensure your best chance of reducing
injury. Training programs should include the following:
1. Cardiovascular training. Running, biking, elliptical training, swim-
ming, and roller blading are all great forms of training. The important part is to
get your heart rate up and keep it up for extended periods of time. 30 minutes
3x/week is a great starting point to improve your conditioning.
2. Weight training. Find a balanced program for legs, arms, and most
importantly, core. Make sure that you do not focus on only specific exercises
and muscles groups. Don’t just do squats and bench press. Don’t forget, your
abs and back support the rest of the body. If they are weak, the rest of you is
weak also.
3. Flexibility training. Stretch often; daily if possible. 30 minutes of
stretching legs, arms, and trunk is adequate to improve flexibility and prevent
muscle strains and pulls.
4. Sports specific training. Do specific drills related to your sport. Try
to mimic specific game situations. Do pickup games, camps, etc. to ensure you
maintain game specific coordination and timing.

For best results, get a professional involved. Sports physical therapists, athletic
trainers, and personal trainers are great resources to design specific programs
for you. They can combine all of the pertinent components to give you a bal-
anced program and ensure that correct form is accomplished. They can also
monitor your progress and make changes, as needed, to progress you for opti-
mal results. Don’t wait! School’s out! Get a plan together, and enjoy the success
in the fall.

Interview by Paige Wood
46
46 • Sports Finest Magazine JUly 2017 sportsfinestMagzine.com 989 672 0799 kelly@sportsfinestmagazine.coma