Athletes are often in great shape, but that doesn’t mean they’re immune from injuries. In fact, athletes oftentimes suffer injuries at a higher rate than the average person for a variety of reasons. And while injuries during athletic competition do make up a portion of these injuries, there are a number of other factors that can lead to an increased risk of back problems in athletes. We highlight five of those factors in today’s blog.
Why Athletes Are At Risk For Spine Pain
Even in non-contact sports, athletes are at risk for spine injuries, but we want to focus on some other factors besides direct trauma during sports that contribute to back injuries in athletes. Here’s a look at five factors that can increase an athlete’s risk of back injury.
- Overtraining/Not Enough Rest – Some athletes think that the best way to improve their skills is to train as much as possible, but that’s not true. Your body needs time to recover in order to make gains during a workout training session. If you throw too much stress on your body in too short of a time period, or you don’t give your body enough time off between activity, you can increase your risk of an overstress injury. Make sure that you give your spine and your body some time to rest between workouts or sports seasons.
- Repetitive Training – While it’s important to do some exercises and workouts that focus on some sport-specific skills, always doing the same exercises can end up increasing your risk for injury. If you’re only targeting the same muscles and ignoring others, muscular imbalances can develop and increase your risk of a strain or tear. This is why you’ll often hear about professional football players taking dance class or doing some other form of cross training in the offseason. Targeting different muscle groups can make them a better athlete even if they aren’t hyper focused on sport-specific muscle groups or exercises. Don’t specialize in one workout or even one sport if you can help it, as you’ll benefit from activities that target different muscle groups.
- Poor Sleep – Getting healthy sleep is important for your spine and your whole body, but athletes don’t always get the 7-9 hours of recommended sleep each night. Whether it’s because they are up early to get to practice or getting to bed late after a road game, it’s very easy to get out of a healthy sleep schedule because you’re busy with athletics. If you’re not getting healthy sleep, your back won’t be able to fully heal from the rigors of athletic endeavors, and that can put them at an increased risk of injury. Strive to go to bed and wake up around the same time each day after having received at least seven hours of continuous sleep.
- Poor Warm Up – We oftentimes don’t give our full attention to our warm up routine, but our back and our bodies need this time to transition from an inactive to an active state ready to handle the rigors of athletic competition. Really pay attention to your body during your 10-15 minute warmup sessions and work to loosen all your muscle groups. If your body isn’t ready for activity once the whistle blows or the puck drops, it can be overloaded with stress and lead to injuries. Make sure that you go through an effective warmup routine before all practices and games.
- Ignore The Core – Finally, one oft-overlooked area of our body is our core muscles, and they play a significant role in stabilizing and supporting our spine. We may focus on our legs to get faster or our arms to throw harder, but your core muscles should not be ignored, otherwise you may start to notice that your back is uncomfortable. We know that medicine ball routines and planks may not be the most enjoyable part of your workout, but they are key to strengthening your core and in turn, your spine. If you’re an athlete, don’t ignore your core.
For more tips on how athletes can help keep their spine healthy, or to talk to a spine specialist about any discomfort you’re experiencing in your back, reach out to Dr. Sinicropi and the team at The Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today at (651) 430-3800.
