Preventing sports injuries: advice from a national team physiotherapist

Most sports injuries can be prevented: ten minutes of warming up, gradual preparation for your specific sport, stopping when you are exhausted or something hurts, and stretching after activity. If a strain or sprain does happen, protection, rest, ice, compression and elevation of the injured part (PRICE) help in the first 48 hours.

For years Marko Ćurčić worked as physiotherapist to the Serbian national wrestling team and was physiotherapist to Olympic champion Davor Štefanek. “Wherever our best wrestlers go, I go too. Treating injuries is part of the job, but I consider prevention the far more important part,” Marko writes. The same principles apply to recreational athletes.

What are the most common sports injuries?

The most common are soft tissue injuries: strains of muscles and tendons and sprains of joints, when a ligament is stretched beyond its limit. In contact sports, some injuries are caused by an external force we cannot do much about. Still, in most cases what contributes to an injury is that we start the activity unprepared.

Five rules for fewer injuries

1. Warm up before every activity. Everyone knows this, yet many people go from standing still to full speed. A gentle warm-up increases blood flow to the muscles and the elasticity of the tissues. Ten minutes of warming up can often save you a week of pain.

2. Sport-specific preparation. Running for a month does not mean you are ready for football. Every sport places different demands on the muscles and ligaments, so prepare your body for those movements a few weeks before the season or a new sport. This also helps prevent overuse injuries.

3. Recognise fatigue. A tired muscle activates its protective reflexes more slowly, and the risk of injury rises. You can always rest and carry on in fifteen minutes, tomorrow or next week, as long as you are not injured. If you feel pain, stop immediately.

4. Drink water. Good hydration is important for muscle function, especially in summer. Do not wait until you are thirsty.

5. Pay attention to your surroundings and equipment. Slippery surfaces, sharp edges, unsuitable footwear and missing protective gear put even the best-prepared athletes at risk.

Stretching and recovery after activity

At the end of training the body needs to “cool down”. Stretching the muscles that have been working restores range of motion and elasticity. Do dynamic stretching before training, and save static stretching, holding each position for 20 to 30 seconds, for the end. Detailed exercises are in our guide stretching for the neck, back, hips and legs.

After training, foam roller self-massage also works very well, and massage is one of the most powerful recovery tools. With the national team, massage and stretching were a daily routine. To see how training and massage fit together, read our article training and massage.

First aid for strains and sprains: PRICE

Swelling is the body’s normal response to injury, but too much swelling restricts movement and slows healing. For minor injuries, apply PRICE in the first 48 hours:

• P – Protect: protect the injured part from further load; for more serious injuries, a splint or crutches.
• R – Rest: stop all activities that make the symptoms worse.
• I – Ice: cool for up to 10 minutes every 1 to 2 hours, over a cloth, never directly on the skin. Do not apply heat to the injury during this period.
• C – Compression: an elastic bandage reduces swelling. In practice, Marko more often uses kinesio taping, which drains swelling faster.
• E – Elevation: raise the injured part above the level of your heart.

When should you seek professional help straight away?

• a bone or joint looks or moves unnaturally,
• you cannot put weight on the injured leg or the joint “gives way”,
• the swelling is large or the skin changes colour beyond an ordinary bruise,
• there is no improvement 48 hours after the injury despite PRICE,
• you feel tingling, weakness or severe pain that does not ease.

If you suspect a fracture, a serious sprain or a head injury, see a doctor first. Once there is a diagnosis, at Fizio Spa we provide rehabilitation and a return to training, step by step.

Frequently asked questions

How can you prevent injuries in recreational sport?

Warm up before activity, prepare your body for your specific sport, stop when you are exhausted or something hurts, drink water and stretch after training.

What is the PRICE method?

First aid for minor soft tissue injuries: protection, rest, ice, compression and elevation of the injured part, in the first 48 hours.

How long should you keep ice on an injury?

Up to 10 minutes every 1 to 2 hours in the first 48 hours, over a cloth, not directly on the skin.

When should you see a physiotherapist after an injury?

If there is no improvement after 48 hours, if you cannot put weight on the injured part, or when you are returning to training after an injury. If you suspect a fracture, see a doctor first.

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