Yes, the athletes are more prone to ligament injuries. In between the run, tackle, acceleration, and deceleration – stretching or tearing the fibrous tissues that connect two bones is common. But then that doesn’t mean the non-athletes are safe. In fact, a person who lives a sedentary lifestyle, they are just as much at risk of sustaining such injuries; especially in knees and ankles. When your body isn’t getting the necessary physical activity every day, the bones and joints get weaker. This leaves you exposed to possible ligament tears even on slight movements. So, whether you’re an athlete or not, you should take practice proper orthopedic care so as to avoid ligament injuries.
The First Step…
There are no hard-written rules on how to prevent ligament injury. Foremost, a large part of that prevention depends on your existing health. If you have any orthopedic problems, you might be at higher risk. Approaching a ligament specialist doctor in Kolkata, find help your existing problems, and addressing your concerns of possible injuries is a good idea. Aside from that, there’s a lot that you can do to steer away from ligament injuries, which can be as serious (Grade 3) as requiring surgical treatment; and while surgeries are relatively common and safer now to treat sprains, it’s still the last line of defense; it involves several risks, discomfort, and costs money.
Say Goodbye to Sedentary Lifestyle
If you live an inactive lifestyle, you want to pace up and progressively get more active. ‘Progressively’ is a keyword here. With rigorous workout and activities, you don’t to strain your muscles and surprise your body. Allow your body days and weeks of warm up where in you gradually increase the intensity of your physical activities.
Now, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to do HIIT or anything rigorous in the end at the gym. Simply walking can make a big difference in your orthopedic health. So, start by taking small walks every day. Increase this distance in weeks. Start running then. Run small distance before covering bigger miles. Slowly, pick up weight training and cardio; stick to simple regimen. Note, however, that if your age is above 50 – or even 40 – you want to consult a good doctor before starting to workout. You’re putting strain on your bones and joints, which can have unwarranted outcome. So, consulting the best orthopedic doctor in Kolkata is important to remain on the safer side.
In addition to basic regimen, there are specific exercises that can minimize the risks of getting ligament injuries; like stretching, lunges, squats, jump and hold, calf raise, more.They focus on strength, flexibility, balance, and agility. They are specifically aimed at improving your core, hips, and legs. They will help condition your body to consume external shocks and minimize serious ligament injuries. For more on this, again, consult your orthopedic doctor or a physiotherapist.
Other Steps to Minimize Ligament Injury
Here are a few other steps to help you prevent injury ligament injury:
- When walking (or running), be careful. Watch your steps.
- Before exercising, ALWAYS warm up.
- Listen to your body. If it’s tired, get rest. If it can’t do something physically strenuous, don’t do it.
- Eat healthy foods; especially foods that are rich in Vitamin D and calcium.
- Ensure adequate protein intake.
- Keep a check on your weight. Maintain it within an ideal bracket.
- Make regular visits to the best orthopedic doctor in Kolkata and take care of your overall health.
In the end, it’s not very difficult to avoid orthopedic health. Keeping yourself physically healthy is the most fundamental part of the process.
But what if, despite all your best efforts, you do end up with torn ligament. Can it heal itself? What kind of treatment would you need? Here are some recommended reads: