When it comes to treating sports injuries, everyone has an opinion about what works best. But most people aren’t doctors or specialists who work in the areas of sports medicine or physical rehabilitation, and some of the “tried-and-true” treatments you may have heard may not be based in sound medical knowledge.
For those who have been through an accident, injury or surgery, physical therapy is often a recommended course of treatment to address weakness, pain, balance, range of motion and impaired mobility. Physical therapy can help restore mobility, functional ability and quality of life through physical intervention, generally in the form of stretches and exercises.
Eating right is about more than managing your weight. You’ve got to take in the right balance of nutrients, vitamins and minerals to keep all the systems in your body functioning properly, and to keep your bones and muscles strong and healthy.
It’s that time of year when many people are making resolutions to get in shape and be more healthy—are you one of them?
Depending on your current fitness level, getting fit in 2015 may be a big challenge, especially if you are used to a sedentary lifestyle. Don’t let that discourage you. Resolving to live a healthier lifestyle, including regular exercise and proper nutrition, will bring benefits for years to come.
One of the most common sports injuries—especially in sports that require sprinting—is a pulled hamstring. Track, soccer and basketball athletes are the most susceptible to hamstring pulls. A pulled hamstring will typically heal on its own and does not require surgery, but it can still keep athletes on the bench for months.
The Female Athlete Triad is a combination of illnesses that can seriously endanger athletically-driven girls or women who feel intense societal pressure to stay thin. The triad’s three interrelated conditions—disordered eating, menstrual dysfunction and premature osteoporosis—occur when a girl or woman takes dieting and exercise to an extreme. Women can develop one, two or all three components of the triad, and they all can seriously hinder athletic performance and damage long-term health.
