Injuries sustained from extreme sports are becoming increasingly common as the popularity of activities like skateboarding, snowboarding, and BMX biking continues to grow. While these sports can be great fun and provide a rush of adrenaline, they also come with a certain amount of risk. Whilst this risk can be mitigated, injuries can still happen if you’re not careful. Here are a few tips on how to avoid extreme sports injuries:
1. Learn the most common injuries
Common extreme sports injuries include broken bones, concussions, and sprains. While some of these injuries may be minor, others can be more serious and even life-threatening, requiring a quick trip to urgent care nearby to avoid the injury from getting worse. For this reason, it’s important to learn the most common injuries so that you know which precautions are most important to take.
2. Wear protective gear
One of the best ways to avoid sustaining an injury while participating in extreme sports is to wear the proper protective gear. This includes items such as a helmet, pads, and gloves. Wearing the proper gear can help protect you from serious injuries in the event of a fall or collision. If your sport suffers from more knee injuries than other sports, for example, you’ll know that you need the right knee protection to avoid injury, whilst if your sport requires cold conditions, you’ll know that you need extra clothing to keep warm.
3. Take time to warm up
Another way to help avoid extreme sports injuries is to warm up before participating. A good warm-up routine can help improve your flexibility and prepare your muscles for the stress they’re about to be put under. Failure to warm up properly can result in torn muscles and ligaments and sprains in places that may take months to fully recover from. Warming up also helps to reduce aches the next day, which will help you to stick to your training schedule.
4. Know your limits
It’s also important to know your limits when participating in extreme sports. Don’t try to do more than you’re physically capable of and be sure to take breaks as needed. Pushing yourself too hard can increase your risk of sustaining an injury, whilst going further than you’re capable of can be dangerous. Stick to what you’re comfortable doing, and only push out of your comfort zone under the proper supervision. Never take unnecessary risks just to impress others and remember that an injury could set your training back by months if you’re not careful.
5. Be aware of your surroundings
When participating in extreme sports, being aware of your surroundings is also key. Be sure to watch for obstacles and be cautious of other people in the area. Often, extreme sports can be fast paced, so hazards can come out of nowhere. Keep your eyes peeled and don’t assume that you’re free to do as you please – other people may be nearby, so being aware of what’s around you will improve their safety as well as your own.
6. Practice safe techniques
Finally, it’s vital to practice safe techniques when participating in extreme sports. Extreme sports are inherently dangerous, so be sure to learn and follow the proper safety procedures for the activity you’re participating in. Safety should always come first, so make sure to pay attention to safety training and don’t skip any of the steps. Safety procedures are in place for a reason, and you’re not an exception to the rules. Take your time to go through each safety step and double-check that you’ve completed the full safety procedure before beginning your activity.
By following these simple tips, you can help reduce your risk of sustaining an injury whilst participating in extreme sports. However, it’s important to remember that accidents can still happen. If you do sustain an injury, be sure to seek medical attention as soon as possible and take the time to learn the safety rules to ensure you don’t get injured in the same way again.
