In the past few years, women's sports have come a long way for girls to take part in almost all the same activities as boys. To prevent and deal with injuries and health conditions comes the need for knowledge about sports medicine. There will always be certain issues that are specific to women's sports medicine, and in this article we'll be exploring some of these.
Sprained ankles are perhaps the most common sports related injury for both men and women alike. If you are active in any sport or exercise with potential for the foot to turn inward causing injury or damage to the ligaments in the ankle and/or foot you are likely to sustain a sprained ankle from this action. If the sport your are playing or the exercise you are participating in (i.e., team sports or running on uneven ground) has potential for trips or collisions you are at risk for a sprain. While the best option is to avoid such injuries as much as possible by warming up, wearing proper footwear and being careful, in the real world accidents do happen. You should always seek medical attention for sprains, as if you try to ignore them or play through them, you could be delaying recovery. Women start to lose muscle mass every year starting around their mid thirties. During this time your metabolism also slows down. Although the change in metabolism is normal there are of course some unwanted drawbacks to it. At this stage it's imperative to make some lifestyle changes to keep from gaining weight since the loss in metabolism will ultimately result in fewer calories being burned off if you continue to eat the same way without exercising enough. Once you've reached this stage it will be helpful to add weight training and resistance training to your exercise regimen. You will burn fat more efficiently and help counteract the slowdown in metabolism and its effects on your body. You should also consider decreasing the amount of fatty foods and carbohydrates or sugars you are eating every day.
No matter what type of sports or exercise you're involved with, the type of footwear you choose can make a big difference when it comes to preventing injuries. Your shoes protect not only your feet but also your lower back, knees and ankles too. Your whole body is affected by the impact of your shoes if you are a runner.
For this reason it's important to always wear properly fitting shoes as well as shoes meant for the activity they were intended. Nowadays, it is possible to find athletic shoes made for basketball, tennis, soccer, running etc... Replacing your shoes on a regular basis is a good idea for any active individual.
In conclusion, there are many different issues involved with women's sports medicine depending on what factors are at play such as your age and the activity you are participating in or sport you are playing, you could have a number of the same concerns covered here. A common sense approach to sports safety is the best way to avoid injury although consulting a doctor who's knowledgeable about sports medicine can yield some good advice on avoiding unnecessary trips to the doctor.