Sports Medicine Boca Raton - Prevent common sports injuries by doing these 5 things

Here at Orthopaedic Surgery Associates, we treat patients suffering from sports injuries on a regular basis. According to our sports medicine Boca Raton specialist, Dr. Shapiro, the most common sports injuries are sprains and strains, including, among others, tennis elbows, shin splints, knee injuries and ankle sprains. This sort of injuries are not only painful but they also prevent the athlete from activity for up to a few months. Fortunately, there are things we can do in everyday life to strengthen our muscles and joints in order to prevent these common sports injuries from happening. In this article, we list 5 things we believe are key to keeping your body in good shape:

1. Remember about the warm up

Not warming up your muscles and joints before a workout is a rookie mistake. The purpose of a warm-up is to gradually prepare your body for physical activity. By doing light exercises combined with some stretches, you send a signal to your muscles to prepare for rapid movements and increased physical activity. That way you loosen the joints and increase blood flow to the muscles which will prevent most acute injuries. Spend 20 minutes warming up prior to your workout session and save yourself weeks in a cast.

2. And don’t forget the cool down too!

The importance of cooling down after the workout cannot be stressed enough. Unfortunately, many people often skip this part and end up with an injury. The cooling down part of the workout is as important as the warm-up. It only takes a few minutes of gentle exercise to slow down your heart rate and prevent the lactic acid from building up in your muscles. Make sure to allow your body to cool down after exercise to avoid muscle cramps and stiffness the next day.  

3. Diet

Your eating habits can also contribute to your body’s resistance to contusions. Professional athletes know the importance of including a good source of protein and calcium in your everyday diet. This allows your bone structure to strengthen and be less prone to injuries. Make sure that your diet includes products such as lean meat, eggs, nuts and seeds, dairy products and calcium supplements.

4. Proper gear/protective equipment

According to our sports medicine Boca Raton specialists, most sports injuries could be prevented if only the patients hadn’t neglected the importance of wearing proper protective equipment. The truth is, wearing proper shoes can make all the difference in the way your body reacts to various exercise, such as running or resistance training. Invest in good gear - your knees will thank you for it.

5. Sleep

Getting enough sleep is crucial if you want to keep your muscles and joints in good shape, especially if you workout on the regular basis. Your body needs rest to heal and regenerate the overworked muscles. Interesting fact - chronic lack of sleep is associated with increased sports injuries in adolescent athletes1. Sleep really IS the best remedy for everything, and a great way to prevent common sports injuries!

Orthopeadic Surgery Associates is known for its leading orthopedic specialists and sports medicine Boca Raton physicians. If you’d like to ask us a question or make an appointment with one of our doctors, visit our website or give us a call today - we are looking forward to seeing you soon!

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Orthopedic Surgeon Boca Raton - Meet our doctors: Eric T. Shapiro, M.D.

Orthopaedic Surgery Associates is a modern and patient-friendly facility where a team of experienced and professional physicians work hard to ensure our patients’ health and well-being. If you are in Boca Raton and looking for the best orthopedic specialist in your area, all you need to do is type 'Orthopedic Surgeon Boca Raton' in Google to find a full list of doctors that practice at Orthopaedic Surgery Associates. In this article, we want to introduce you to Dr. Eric T. Shapiro, who is one of our orthopedic doctors.

Specialty: Dr. Shapiro specializes in Sports Medicine, Arthroscopy and General Orthopaedics. He is also Board Certified (American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery) since July 12, 1996.

Education: Dr. Shapiro graduated from University of Vermont College of Medicine in 1988.

• GENERAL SURGERY INTERNSHIP:
  Long Island Jewish Medical Center N.Y.
  July 1988 – June 1989

• ORTHOPAEDIC RESIDENCY:
  Long Island Jewish Medical Center N.Y.
  July 1989 – June 1993

• FELLOWSHIP:
  Tufts University/New England Medical Boston,
  MA Sports Medicine Fellowship
  August, 1993 – July 1994

Hospital Affiliations: Dr. Shapiro is affiliated with the following hospitals:

Boca Raton Community Hospital 8/94
Bethesda Memorial Hospital 8/94
Delray Community Hospital 8/94
Pinecrest Rehab Hospital 10/94
West Boca Medical Center 11/94
Boca Raton Outpatient Surgery 10/94
and Laser Center

To find out more about Dr. Eric Shapiro, click here to view his profile.

Orthopedic Surgeon Boca Raton - Make an appointment with one of our doctors

Dr. Shapiro - as per all of our orthopedic surgeons in Boca Raton - is Board Certified in his specialty. He and all of our other orthopedic surgeons are available to treat patients at both our Boca Raton and Boynton Beach facilities. If you’d like to find out more about Orthopaedic Surgery Associates or make an appointment with one of the doctors, visit our website or contact us. We are looking forward to seeing you soon!

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