Injury prevention
In the previous page on common injuries and treatment, we focus on raising awareness of the ease of sustaining unnecessary injuries. Other than raising awareness, we also place a heavy emphasis on prevention. As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure. In this page, we will be focusing on the importance of warm up, and provide advice on preventing injuries. Do not belittle the importance of prevention. It may seem boring, dry and cliché, but it is not worth it when you sustain an unnecessary injury. Enjoy!
The importance of warm ups
There are 2 types of warm ups, passive and active.
From its names, we can roughly tell their respective meaning. A passive warm up aims to increase body temperature without exerting much energy. This can include massage, heat packs or a hot bath. An active warm up aims to increase the body temperature by exerting energy.
There are 2 types of active warm up, general and specific. A general warm up is to warm up the whole body through activities or exercises that are of low intensity. This includes a slow jog for about 5 minutes or cycling etc. Through this low intensity warm ups, the body temperature increases. A specific warm up aims to warm up a specific part of the body that will be used extensively during the workout. In street soccer, the leg muscles will be used all the time, so specific warm ups include light passing drills.
Now you know the types of warm up, so let us move on to the benefits of warm ups.
1) Warm ups improve range of motion, thus improving performance. Who would not like to enhance performance? One easy trick. Warm up! When you warm up, the range of motions of muscles and joints increases. This is essential in street soccer in tackling and trying to intercept a high ball. Being able to stretch higher and further than your opponent increases the chances of you winning individual challenges.
2) Warm up increases muscle temperature. With increased muscle temperature, the muscle can contract and relax faster, increasing power and speed, which are essential in getting past a defender. Also, the length of muscle increases, elasticity also increases, reducing the chances of over stretching.
3) Warm up increases blood circulation to your muscles and the heart rate. This ensures that more oxygen and nutrients will be provided to the muscles, increasing muscle endurance and stamina. The increased heart rate prepares the heart for a strenuous activity and prevents heart pressure from rising too high.
4) Warm up causes energy production hormones to increase, resulting in the muscles being more energetic, also increasing muscle stamina and thus reducing muscle fatigue, which renders the player susceptible to muscle tears and strains.
As you can see, warming up greatly improves performance and also reduces the risk of sustaining injuries. This will help you to play better, and play safer!
Stretching, dynamic vs static
There are 2 types of stretches, dynamic and static. Both have its uses and benefits. It is important to know when to do a dynamic stretch and a static stretch. Before any activities, always perform a warm up first. After warm up, perform dynamic stretches. This order is very important, as only after warming up can muscle temperature increase, and only when muscle temperature increase can the optimal stretching of the muscle be attained. After the activity, perform a static stretch for cool down. Performing static stretches before activity decreases power and speed, thus affecting performance.
Dynamic stretches are the active movement of the limbs and muscles which stretch the muscles to its full range of motion after repeated movements. These include arm rotation, hips rotation and lunges etc. These are the benefits of dynamic stretches. Firstly, it effectively stimulates the actual exercise due to its sports specific nature. For example, swinging the legs stimulates kicking the ball, preparing the player for the actual game. Secondly, it maintains the body temperature after warming up. A period of inactivity between warming up and the actual game will result in body temperature dropping, defeating the purpose of warm up. Thirdly, Dynamic stretches further improves the range of motion of body, reducing the risks of over stretch and tears.
Static stretches are holding a stretch to the fullest for a period of time. These are the benefits of static stretches. First, static stretches increases the flexibility of muscles. Although dynamic stretching is also able to increase muscle flexibility, static stretching is much more effective. Second, muscle balance can ensure that muscles are all well stretched, preventing cases where some muscles are tighter than others. When some muscles are tighter than others, it may increase the likelihood of muscle tears. Third, after an intense exercise, static stretching is relaxing for the muscle, helping the body to cool down.
The importance of cool down
Cooling down is very important after an intense workout. Many people tend to neglect cool down as they feel very tired after their strenuous game. However, it is important to give the muscles a recovery time and to allow breathing, heart rate and body temperature to return to its normal state. The benefits of cooling down include
1) Reducing the risk of muscle cramps and muscle spasms
2) Reducing the accumulation of blood in the body (blood pooling) which will cause dizziness and even fainting
3) Reducing post exercise muscle stiffness
As to whether cooling down reduces delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), there are many different theories. Some scientists even argue that it is warm up that reduces DOMS, while others claim that cool down is totally useless. Up till today, many people are still unsure of the cause of it. It is widely believed that it is the accumulation of lactic acid that causes DOMS, but this is not scientifically proven. Nevertheless, cooling down still has many benefits, and there is no excuse not to cool down.
Equipments (pitch, ball, shoes)
In HCI, there are 3 street soccer courts to play. However, if you are playing street soccer somewhere else e.g. a grass patch, always check whether the surface is flat without any bumps or holes. Landing on these bumps or holes may cause an ankle sprain.
Also, ensure that the ball used is not waterlogged. Heading the ball when the ball is waterlogged may result in concussion. Do not underestimate the damage a heavy ball can inflict.
Finally, always buy a shoe that is comfortable and fitting. For people with flat feet, buy a flat foot street soccer shoe that provide greater cushion and support for the feet. This can reduce the pressure on the Achilles. Use sole pads that are customized for the feet for the same reason. You can use the wet test to determine the right size. Wet your foot and step on a piece of paper and trace the outline of it. If the entire outline of the feet is clearly seen, it means that you are flat footed.
In the previous page on common injuries and treatment, we focus on raising awareness of the ease of sustaining unnecessary injuries. Other than raising awareness, we also place a heavy emphasis on prevention. As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure. In this page, we will be focusing on the importance of warm up, and provide advice on preventing injuries. Do not belittle the importance of prevention. It may seem boring, dry and cliché, but it is not worth it when you sustain an unnecessary injury. Enjoy!
The importance of warm ups
There are 2 types of warm ups, passive and active.
From its names, we can roughly tell their respective meaning. A passive warm up aims to increase body temperature without exerting much energy. This can include massage, heat packs or a hot bath. An active warm up aims to increase the body temperature by exerting energy.
There are 2 types of active warm up, general and specific. A general warm up is to warm up the whole body through activities or exercises that are of low intensity. This includes a slow jog for about 5 minutes or cycling etc. Through this low intensity warm ups, the body temperature increases. A specific warm up aims to warm up a specific part of the body that will be used extensively during the workout. In street soccer, the leg muscles will be used all the time, so specific warm ups include light passing drills.
Now you know the types of warm up, so let us move on to the benefits of warm ups.
1) Warm ups improve range of motion, thus improving performance. Who would not like to enhance performance? One easy trick. Warm up! When you warm up, the range of motions of muscles and joints increases. This is essential in street soccer in tackling and trying to intercept a high ball. Being able to stretch higher and further than your opponent increases the chances of you winning individual challenges.
2) Warm up increases muscle temperature. With increased muscle temperature, the muscle can contract and relax faster, increasing power and speed, which are essential in getting past a defender. Also, the length of muscle increases, elasticity also increases, reducing the chances of over stretching.
3) Warm up increases blood circulation to your muscles and the heart rate. This ensures that more oxygen and nutrients will be provided to the muscles, increasing muscle endurance and stamina. The increased heart rate prepares the heart for a strenuous activity and prevents heart pressure from rising too high.
4) Warm up causes energy production hormones to increase, resulting in the muscles being more energetic, also increasing muscle stamina and thus reducing muscle fatigue, which renders the player susceptible to muscle tears and strains.
As you can see, warming up greatly improves performance and also reduces the risk of sustaining injuries. This will help you to play better, and play safer!
Stretching, dynamic vs static
There are 2 types of stretches, dynamic and static. Both have its uses and benefits. It is important to know when to do a dynamic stretch and a static stretch. Before any activities, always perform a warm up first. After warm up, perform dynamic stretches. This order is very important, as only after warming up can muscle temperature increase, and only when muscle temperature increase can the optimal stretching of the muscle be attained. After the activity, perform a static stretch for cool down. Performing static stretches before activity decreases power and speed, thus affecting performance.
Dynamic stretches are the active movement of the limbs and muscles which stretch the muscles to its full range of motion after repeated movements. These include arm rotation, hips rotation and lunges etc. These are the benefits of dynamic stretches. Firstly, it effectively stimulates the actual exercise due to its sports specific nature. For example, swinging the legs stimulates kicking the ball, preparing the player for the actual game. Secondly, it maintains the body temperature after warming up. A period of inactivity between warming up and the actual game will result in body temperature dropping, defeating the purpose of warm up. Thirdly, Dynamic stretches further improves the range of motion of body, reducing the risks of over stretch and tears.
Static stretches are holding a stretch to the fullest for a period of time. These are the benefits of static stretches. First, static stretches increases the flexibility of muscles. Although dynamic stretching is also able to increase muscle flexibility, static stretching is much more effective. Second, muscle balance can ensure that muscles are all well stretched, preventing cases where some muscles are tighter than others. When some muscles are tighter than others, it may increase the likelihood of muscle tears. Third, after an intense exercise, static stretching is relaxing for the muscle, helping the body to cool down.
The importance of cool down
Cooling down is very important after an intense workout. Many people tend to neglect cool down as they feel very tired after their strenuous game. However, it is important to give the muscles a recovery time and to allow breathing, heart rate and body temperature to return to its normal state. The benefits of cooling down include
1) Reducing the risk of muscle cramps and muscle spasms
2) Reducing the accumulation of blood in the body (blood pooling) which will cause dizziness and even fainting
3) Reducing post exercise muscle stiffness
As to whether cooling down reduces delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS), there are many different theories. Some scientists even argue that it is warm up that reduces DOMS, while others claim that cool down is totally useless. Up till today, many people are still unsure of the cause of it. It is widely believed that it is the accumulation of lactic acid that causes DOMS, but this is not scientifically proven. Nevertheless, cooling down still has many benefits, and there is no excuse not to cool down.
Equipments (pitch, ball, shoes)
In HCI, there are 3 street soccer courts to play. However, if you are playing street soccer somewhere else e.g. a grass patch, always check whether the surface is flat without any bumps or holes. Landing on these bumps or holes may cause an ankle sprain.
Also, ensure that the ball used is not waterlogged. Heading the ball when the ball is waterlogged may result in concussion. Do not underestimate the damage a heavy ball can inflict.
Finally, always buy a shoe that is comfortable and fitting. For people with flat feet, buy a flat foot street soccer shoe that provide greater cushion and support for the feet. This can reduce the pressure on the Achilles. Use sole pads that are customized for the feet for the same reason. You can use the wet test to determine the right size. Wet your foot and step on a piece of paper and trace the outline of it. If the entire outline of the feet is clearly seen, it means that you are flat footed.
Ahmad Tousi. (N.D.). IMPORTANCE of WARM-UP AND STRETCHING. Entraineurdefoot. Retrieved 30 may, 2013, from http://www.entraineurdefoot.com/Tousienglish.html
Elizabeth Quinn. (November 04, 2008). The Warm Up - How to Warm Up Before Exercise. Sports medicine. Retrieved 30 may, 2013, from http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/injuryprevention/a/aa071003a.htm
Hannah Mich. (Apr 30, 2011). Why should atheletes warm up before an event?. Livestrong.com. Retrieved 30 may, 2013, from http://www.livestrong.com/article/431498-why-should-athletes-warm-up-before-an-event/
MACKENZIE, B. (2002) Dynamic Stretching Exercises [WWW] Available from: http://www.brianmac.co.uk/dynamic.htm [Accessed 29/5/2013]
MACKENZIE, B. (1998) Static Stretching Exercises [WWW] Available from: http://www.brianmac.co.uk/stretch.htm [Accessed 28/5/2013]
McDANIEL, L. and DYKSTRA, B. (2008) How does static stretching affect an athletes performance? [WWW] Available from: http://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/article027.htm [Accessed 27/5/2013]
BRANDON, R. (2003) Dynamic versus passive stretches [WWW] Available from: http://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/scni8a6.htm [Accessed 27/5/2013]
TOLLISON, T. (2007) Static vs. Dynamic Flexibility [WWW] Available from: http://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/scni43a4.htm [Accessed 27/5/2013]
Rob Burger. Kenneth Fine. (N.D). Preventing soccer injuries. Stop sports injuries. Retrieved 26 may, 2013, from http://www.stopsportsinjuries.org/sports-injury-prevention.aspx
MIMS Australia. (10 January 2010). Warming up and cooling down for exercise. myDr. Retrieved 26 may, 2013, from http://www.mydr.com.au/sports-fitness/warming-up-and-cooling-down-for-exercise
Matthew Brown. (May 20, 2011). What is dynamic stretching? Why is dynamic stretching important?. Strength and conditioning. Retrieved 26 may, 2013, from http://www.norcalsc.com/what-is-dynamic-stretching-why-is-dynamic-stretching-important
Fleck SJ. Falkel JE. (Jan-Feb 1986). Value of resistance training for the reduction of sports injuries. Sports Med. Retrieved 26 may, 2013, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3633121
Karen Meisenheimer. (Oct. 22, 1997). Sports Scientists Say Weight Lifting Is Key In Preventing Severe Injuries. Science Daily. Retrieved 25 may, 2013, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1997/10/971022155847.htm
Jonathan Cluett. (January 16, 2009). Calf Strain stretching. About.com Orthopedics. Retrieved 16 June, 2013, from, http://orthopedics.about.com/od/sprainstraintreatment/ss/calfstretch_2.htm
Elizabeth Quinn. Kneeling Quadriceps Stretch for Flexibility - Quad Stretch - Thigh Stretch. Sports Mecicine. (October 29, 2012). Retrieved 15 June, 2013, from, http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/flexibilityandstretching/qt/Quad-kneel.htm
Anne Asher. (December 25, 2012). How To Stretch Your Quadriceps. Back and Neck Pain. Retrieved 15 June, 2013, from, http://backandneck.about.com/od/exerciseandsport/a/How-To-Stretch-Your-Quadriceps.htm
Elizabeth Quinn. (November 04, 2008). The Warm Up - How to Warm Up Before Exercise. Sports medicine. Retrieved 30 may, 2013, from http://sportsmedicine.about.com/cs/injuryprevention/a/aa071003a.htm
Hannah Mich. (Apr 30, 2011). Why should atheletes warm up before an event?. Livestrong.com. Retrieved 30 may, 2013, from http://www.livestrong.com/article/431498-why-should-athletes-warm-up-before-an-event/
MACKENZIE, B. (2002) Dynamic Stretching Exercises [WWW] Available from: http://www.brianmac.co.uk/dynamic.htm [Accessed 29/5/2013]
MACKENZIE, B. (1998) Static Stretching Exercises [WWW] Available from: http://www.brianmac.co.uk/stretch.htm [Accessed 28/5/2013]
McDANIEL, L. and DYKSTRA, B. (2008) How does static stretching affect an athletes performance? [WWW] Available from: http://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/article027.htm [Accessed 27/5/2013]
BRANDON, R. (2003) Dynamic versus passive stretches [WWW] Available from: http://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/scni8a6.htm [Accessed 27/5/2013]
TOLLISON, T. (2007) Static vs. Dynamic Flexibility [WWW] Available from: http://www.brianmac.co.uk/articles/scni43a4.htm [Accessed 27/5/2013]
Rob Burger. Kenneth Fine. (N.D). Preventing soccer injuries. Stop sports injuries. Retrieved 26 may, 2013, from http://www.stopsportsinjuries.org/sports-injury-prevention.aspx
MIMS Australia. (10 January 2010). Warming up and cooling down for exercise. myDr. Retrieved 26 may, 2013, from http://www.mydr.com.au/sports-fitness/warming-up-and-cooling-down-for-exercise
Matthew Brown. (May 20, 2011). What is dynamic stretching? Why is dynamic stretching important?. Strength and conditioning. Retrieved 26 may, 2013, from http://www.norcalsc.com/what-is-dynamic-stretching-why-is-dynamic-stretching-important
Fleck SJ. Falkel JE. (Jan-Feb 1986). Value of resistance training for the reduction of sports injuries. Sports Med. Retrieved 26 may, 2013, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3633121
Karen Meisenheimer. (Oct. 22, 1997). Sports Scientists Say Weight Lifting Is Key In Preventing Severe Injuries. Science Daily. Retrieved 25 may, 2013, from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1997/10/971022155847.htm
Jonathan Cluett. (January 16, 2009). Calf Strain stretching. About.com Orthopedics. Retrieved 16 June, 2013, from, http://orthopedics.about.com/od/sprainstraintreatment/ss/calfstretch_2.htm
Elizabeth Quinn. Kneeling Quadriceps Stretch for Flexibility - Quad Stretch - Thigh Stretch. Sports Mecicine. (October 29, 2012). Retrieved 15 June, 2013, from, http://sportsmedicine.about.com/od/flexibilityandstretching/qt/Quad-kneel.htm
Anne Asher. (December 25, 2012). How To Stretch Your Quadriceps. Back and Neck Pain. Retrieved 15 June, 2013, from, http://backandneck.about.com/od/exerciseandsport/a/How-To-Stretch-Your-Quadriceps.htm