With the holiday weekend coming up, many of us will be outside, enjoying a favorite sport. But weekend warriors, or people who engage in physical activity during their spare time, may be at a greater risk for getting injured.
Because weekend warriors don't get a consistent amount of physical activity, they can be more susceptible to getting injured. If you're a weekend warrior, don't worry — you can still get outside and get active. But to help you avoid injury, we've compiled a few tips to help you be active safely.
1. Always warm up: One of the biggest causes of injury is failing to warm up before exercising. Without a proper warm-up, it's much easier to pull muscles and obtain serious injuries.
Light stretching and a brief walk can make a big difference between successfully exercising and ending up in an urgent care clinic for an injury. Although it may be tempting to jump right into an activity, take a few minutes to allow your body to prepare.
2. Try different activities: Another easy way to avoid having to seek medical treatment for injuries is to try a variety of activities. This is an easy way to avoid overworking just one part of your body each time you exercise. Overuse injuries are extremely common among weekend warriors, and can lead to further problems if left untreated. Additionally, trying various activities will help you work on a variety of things, such as cardio and flexibility. Try something slightly different every now and then.
3. Seek medical treatment when necessary: If you do sustain an injury, don't try to be tough and continue exercising. Working out while injured is only going to make matters worse; seek medical treatment for injuries as soon as possible. Urgent care centers are a great option for minor injuries, such as sprained ankles. And with the Urgent Care Association of America showing about 3 million patients visit urgent care clinics every week, these centers are well equipped to handle a variety of injuries.
Sometimes it's not possible to keep up with a regular exercise routine, and that's okay. But if you're a weekend warrior, make sure to follow these tips to ensure you can keep doing your favorite activities injury-free.
