Getting and staying in shape for football
SCOTT FINLEY - Chiropractor
When summer is over, it’s time for fall and football. The best kind of football should be fun and pain-free.
For most parents, the sport is fun but it may not be fun for some kids. Some of them have been known to fake injuries to get away from the pressure of parents, coaches and fellow players. If they are playing “to please,” it may be time to switch sports.
But if they are like most kids on the team, it’s fun and they want to play. Now, the most important consideration is getting and staying in shape. Most organized football leagues have definite stretching and exercise programs for their players.
If, despite everything the youngster does and he or she is injured, think RICE: rest, ice, compression and elevation.
An injury usually means there are broken blood vessels beneath the surface of the skin, which means swelling. With a sprained ankle, for instance, after ice has helped (24-48 hours), gently massage the ankle and rotate the joint until range of motion is equal to the other ankle. Resume exercise slowly, avoiding sports such as basketball or racquetball that involve sudden twisting movements.
Listen to the body and do not exercise or play with pain. Pain is nature’s natural warning signal that a part of the body has been injured and we should cease doing anything that aggravates the injury. Then give the part complete rest for a faster recovery. Pain-killing drugs do not heal; they only mask the symptoms which can escalate the injury.
Drink plenty of water before, during and after exercise. Carbonated beverages are not a recommended replacement for water. It’s thought phosphoric acid in soft drinks may leach calcium from the bones resulting in bone loss.
Nutritionally, a good rule of thumb is to never eat or drink anything that has been chemically altered from its natural state.
And lastly, but not the least important, is the care of the frame of the body. Especially, the spine which houses and protects the spinal cord and spinal nerves.
When the frame of the body has been jarred or jolted out of its normal alignment, it is somewhat like distorting the frame of an automobile. Both the human body and the car may still function, but not without some serious side effects.
For maximum efficiency of the body for the greatest amount of fun and pleasure, all sports participants should have regular chiropractic tune-ups. Call us, we want to help.
We perform mandatory sports physicals.
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