While being active can be great for your health and well-being, sports injuries are the third largest cause of spinal cord injuries in the UK, particularly when it comes to contact sports.
What Are Contact Sports?
Contact sports are sports in which the players necessarily come into bodily contact with each other, such as rugby, boxing and football. The degree of contact can vary between sports, with some seeing a higher level of collisions that can result in head, neck and spinal injuries, all of which may not be immediately obvious.
What To Do If You Get Injured
When you play contact sports there should always be someone around be it another player or the coach who is trained in first aid. Be sure to let your coach know immediately and do not downplay your symptoms, as any sports-related neck or spine injuries should be managed with a high degree of suspicion as they could be serious. If you do suffer a spinal injury you may be able to claim compensation which will help to provide financial support for your care, rehabilitation or treatment. This can be a lifeline, particularly if the injury is serious and you are unable to work for a while, as it can give you a little peace of mind during your recovery.
How To Stay Safe
Wear The Right Kit
You should always wear the proper kit for the sport you are playing, particularly if it has a protective element. The kit that you need is likely to differ between genders and the sport that you are playing, but they are essential in keeping you as safe as possible. Although better health and safety standards have been implemented in recent years, the risk is still there so you should be as safe as possible and wear all the protective equipment necessary such as mouth guards, helmets and shinpads.
Learn The Rules Of The Game
Playing sports is a great way to boost your mental and physical health but you should be sure to familiarise yourself with the rules of the game before you start. This is particularly important when it comes to contact sports due to the higher risk of injury which may be more likely to occur if you are accidentally fouling other players or are unsure of how to act during the game.
To play a sport safely you need to understand and acknowledge the rules and there are plenty of ways to do this, including online research and asking your coach or other experienced players.
Know Your Body
The more prepared for an activity you are, the less likely you will be to suffer from avoidable injuries like sprains and cramps. As such, you should be sure to warm up and stretch your muscles we, no matter what sport you are playing, as this will give your body a chance to prepare itself for strenuous activity.
