Extracurricular sports may only take up a short season, but training for them takes place throughout the year for high school and college athletes. With summer's long days and soaring temperatures come special precautions that all fitness buffs should take, and that includes younger athletes. Idaho sports medicine specialists Dr. George Nicola, Dr. John Smith, Dr. Charles Schneider, Dr. Michael Shevlin and Dr. Robert Hansen of West Idaho Orthopedics have come up with some suggestions to make your summer training safer. Proper care in advance of working out can prevent severe injuries to like a rotator cuff tear or an ACL injury that requires arthroscopic knee surgery. Don't let these injuries sideline you before the season even starts.
Use proper techniques in the weight room. A trainer will show you good lifting form to minimize the stress on joints and muscles, lessening the likelihood of injury. A trainer can also act as a spotter, ensuring greater safety when you're lifting heavier weights. Despite innovative techniques that shorten recovery time, even minimally invasive surgery is still surgery; preventing it with proper form is always preferable.
Monitor what goes into your body closely. In summer's heat, staying well hydrated is vital to your health. Weigh yourself before and after exercise to see how much fluid you're losing as perspiration. Drinking plenty of water may also help prevent muscle cramping. Protein is the raw material from which muscles are made, so eat sufficient protein to let your body carry out the necessary maintenance and repair it needs to do after a workout.
Stretch well. Before any game, professional athletes take the time to stretch. Their warm-ups are designed to help their bodies absorb impact and bend instead of breaking. Stretching and physical therapy have helped athletes recover from past injuries, giving them greater range of motion after shoulder arthroscopic surgery and other procedures.
If you should suffer a pull or strain, remember RICE: rest, ice, compression and elevation. These four basic first aid procedures reduce swelling and pain immediately after the injury occurs. If you've suffered a pull, sprain or tear, seek the attention of an orthopedic doctor. A specialist in sports medicine can assess the extent of the injury and recommend an orthopedic surgeon who can repair a rotator cuff tear or perform arthroscopic knee surgery. Whether you are located in Boise, Meridian, Nampa or Caldwell, West Idaho Orthopedics offers easy access to sports medicine experts as well as specialists in orthopedic surgery.
If your injury requires more extensive treatment, look for a specialist in sports medicine and orthopedic surgery who is finely tuned to treat your specific needs. West Idaho Orthopedic surgeon Dr. Robert Hansen specializes in injuries to the delicate joints of the hand, wrist and elbow; he can also perform shoulder arthroscopic surgery. Dr. George Nicola and Dr. Michael Shevlin have pioneered minimally invasive surgery on knees, leaving muscles intact as they repair injured joints. And, orthopedic surgeon Dr. Charles Schneider routinely repairs ACL and MCL injuries along with colleague Dr. John Smith who is an avid skier and is quite familiar with the knee and leg injuries sustained from summer conditioning.
Prevention is a key part of West Idaho Orthopedics' treatment. Whether you are located in Boise, Meridian, Nampa or Caldwell, West Idaho Orthopedics offers trained Idaho sports medicine specialists with decades of cumulative experience helping athletes at every level maximize their performance and minimize injuries. Should you need the services of an orthopedic doctor to assess an injury or an orthopedic surgeon to repair more significant damage, the doctors at West Idaho Orthopedics are available during any season.
