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So I have done this blog now, and i feel as if my knowledge on sports medicine have increased and i hope i could elighten your lifes as well. Sadly though, i am not sure how far i want to pursue this field of study anymore. It was one of my thoughts for grad school, competing with sports law. BUT there are many things that i liked about this field and many things i found very uninteresting. I want to thank you all for following my blog and i bid you a safe athletic future.

Alex Reid

Technique is the Answer

Technique and fundamentals are things that train people to do actions correctly. It is those who try to make their own styles fit the sport and they are the ones who continue to get hurt. Weight lifting is a great example to this. There are ways to lift weights properly and way to totally screw up your body. The most common is when people lift with their back instead of their legs. I know from exerience that your back can be thrown out very easily and cause you much grief over the next couple weeks, months, or years. The proper way to lift and squat is to keep your back at as close to 90 degree angle as you possibly can, and use your legs to do the lifting. Also, it does not hurt to wear a lifting belt to have some extra support on your back. Doing these things will prevent severe back injuries and allow you to build muscle in a safe way.

Cramps

A cramp is when a muscle tightens really fast and stays tight. It is a very painful experience. Cramps are caused when someone has worked their muscles to an extent and they are also dehydrated. Cramps can hit at anytime, and can last for quite some time. Even when the cramp loosens up, they can still be painful from the strain put on the muscle.

The best way to prevent a cramp is stretching and staying hydrated. If you do get a cramp though, you will want to straighten the muscle as much as possible, drink lots of water, and massage the muscles until it loosens up. If your leg is cramping up, it is also beneficial to walk around on it, causing it to work itself out.

Thoracic Outlet Syndrome

WHAT THE BLEEEEP is this? My sister has suffered from this syndrome since her sophomore year in high school, and she is now just getting diagnosed. Thoracic Outlet Syndrome causes blood circulation to be cut off around the affected area. In my sister's case, it is in her arms and shoulders. If she puts her arms above her head, her arms will start to get less and less blood circulating through them, causing numbness and some pain. There are two ways to possibly cure this problem. One is strict physical therapy that is more of a workout then therapy. The other option is surgery. Both are not 100% effective, but they are the only known ways to solve the problem.

Stretching to Prevent Injury

Stretching is a key part to prepare yourself for athletic participation. Something as simple as running can still cause injury and taking the precautions to prevent injury is very important.

Stretches differ from activity to activity. If you are going to throw a baseball, you will want to concentrate on stretching the upper body. If you are kicking a field goal, you will want to concentrate on the legs. You also must perform the stretches well. A stretch that is over looked can be a target for injury. Stretching is not a 100% effective tool, but it does prepare your body for the exertion of energy it is about to sustain. It should be done before and after every physical activity done.

Injuries are not always physical

Some injuries are not within the muscles, but within the brain. What is an injury. Well to me, i define an injury as a symptom that causes a person a disability to perform their specific task. (I actually thought that up on my own, i am impressed with myself)  But injuries are usually looked upon as a physical being. I believe that there are mental injuries too.

Some players do not play well after making a big mistake. For instance, in my first game as a Tight End in football, i let the first ever pass to me in a game go right off my facemask. The next week in practice i could not catch a ball to save my life. i dropped everything. I was scared of failure. The mistake injured my confidence. This led me to not be able to perform my given task, catching the football. Injuries are much more than just physical pain. They can be mental and emotional too.

Songs that Pump me up.

Lately i have been addicted to a song that really gets my blood flowing. I Need a Doctor by DR. DRE ft Eminem and Skylar Grey. This song talks about how someone helped build a man to what they have become and then in a blink of an eye, that person is within the reach of being gone. Dr Dre made Eminem who he is today, and now that Dr Dre is fallin apart, Eminem is the only one there to help him through it.

It reminds me of my old baseball coach. He helped mold me to be the man i am today, but when his chips were down and he was run out of coaching by some parents, the loyal players stepped up and gave him hope. He moved on to a successful collegiate job, but due to family constraints he had to give that up. He recently was re-hired by my high school to coach baseball. I have never been more happy.