Sport Injuries
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Dear Friend,
Today I want to share my latest experience. As some of you know I love to play tennis and I’m a member of an awesome team: Red Bug Force.
We had our second game of this season yesterday. My partner and I played very hard and were close to winning the match if it had not been for some unfortunate injuries. We have already been playing over 2 hours in a very humid day in Florida and the heat got to my partner who started having leg cramps. I started covering for my partner running to get the balls she couldn’t get. In tennis there are a lateral movements on the court and in one of those movements I aggravated my Achilles heel tendonitis. This a problem I’ve had in the past and it was bothering me a week and a half before the game. I did some stretching and a few other things that I thought would be enough to allow me to play. No, it wasn’t. Lesson learned, you need to listen to your body and take care of it.
Days before the match start getting hydrated, stretching your muscles and getting ready for the game. We love the game and love to keep active although we are not professional athletes. Some of us are on the 40+ range and we need to take great care of our bodies. Here are some suggestions to Prepare your body to compete by Dr. Larry Lauer & USTA Player Development Coaches
- Rest: Follow a consistent schedule of at least eight consecutive hours.
- Wake up: Rise a minimum of two hours before the match (if match is at 8 a.m.). The optimal wake-up time is three before the start of a match to be alert at match time.
- Breakfast: Choose juices, fruits, yogurts with cereals, toast, etc. (no milk, cheeses, butter, pastries).
- Hydration: Drink 1.5 liters of water with electrolytes two hours before the match begins and continue to drink during the match. (I must add that hydration should be started the day before the game. Alcohol can affect your game as per InsideTracker: “It dehydrates your body – If you want to optimize your athletic performance, then you want your recovery from sore muscles to be as fast as possible. Alcohol has been shown to slow this process because it is a powerful diuretic, which can cause dehydration and electrolyte imbalances. And when dehydrated, an athlete is at a greater risk for cramps, muscle pulls, and muscle strains.”
- Training before the match:
- Physical warm up: 15 minutes. ( I personally like to step on the treadmill for a minimum of 15 minutes before going to the game)
- Technical warm up “on court” 30-45 minutes, including specific plays/situations in preparation for opponent. For example, being aggressive on second-serve returns, midcourt forehands, etc.
I have been named “Speedy” from my teammates and I owe my energy to Advocare Spark and to keep me hydrated Advocare Rehydrate. Advocare products are perfect for professional athletes and therefore they are perfect for you and me.
I hope this information will help you. Contact me with your questions.
Wishing you wellness and success,
Irma
iejfit
