We take our football very seriously here in the south! And it is that time of year that football practices have started! The athletes are certain to have a lot of soreness, aches, and pains during the first few weeks of practice and even as the season goes on. The beginning of the season often has long practices, weightlifting sessions, strength and conditioning, other training, and sometimes multiple practices in a day. You combine that with the hot, humid, Northeast Florida weather and it can be a huge shock to these young athlete’s bodies.
Not surprisingly, football is the most common sport for youth athletes and high schoolers to get injured playing. Bruises (contusions), ligaments sprains, muscle strains, concussions, and fractures are the most common youth sports injuries among football players. The thigh (quad and hamstring), low back, neck and head, shoulder, and knee are the most common locations for injuries to occur to high school football players.
Tackling, getting tackled, sprinting, and change of direction movements tend to be the most common activities on the football field that injuries occur. Although it does seem like many injuries cannot be traced back to a single origin, but rather the culmination of a lot of practices, games, and training with not enough recovery work and rest.
Treating Pain in St. Johns County, Florida
Here at St. Johns Chiropractic & Performance, we understand the tough and grueling demands of athletics and sports. Dr. Grant Speer played all sports growing up including playing collegiate basketball where he got used to conditioning, long-practices, and daily weight training being the norm. His wife Kaylee Speer was a swimmer at a Division 1 University where she often had two-a-day practices and strength and conditioning sessions on top of that.
During these tough seasons of athletics, recovery is key and you must do the things that help recharge your body and give you the competitive edge. Come see us at St. Johns Chiropractic & Performance, and we guarantee that you will notice a significant difference in how your body feels whether it is on the practice field or under the lights on Friday night!
Recovering Well During This Football Season!
To help combat the stresses, aches, and pains that your body feels during football season; we want to share three valuable tips with you to help keep your body refreshed and one step ahead of the competition.
Tip #1 – Get at least 8 ½ hours of sleep a night! This is a minimum and ideally you’re getting at least nine hours of sleep a night during the times of year of pre-season football camp, heavy weight training, and in season (which turns out to be almost the entire year). Getting proper sleep will help your nervous system rest and recover which means that your be sharper mentally and you won’t be one step slower as the season goes on.
This will also help your immune system out and you’ll experience less sickness and injury during the season compared to others who get less sleep. Make sure you develop a consistent nighttime schedule and avoid phones and screens at least 30 minutes before going to bed!
Tip #2 – Drink more water than you think you need! We often only drink water when we are thirsty but our body typically needs more water than that and when we are thirsty that often means that our body is behind in our water intake. For high school football players that are practicing and playing outside, you constantly need to be drinking water.
Players often lose several pounds during practices and games simply from the amount of water that they sweat out. Start drinking extra water 24 hours before any amount of rigorous outdoor exercise (which is almost all the time during season). Supplement your water with high-quality salt, electrolytes, and natural citrus to replenish what your body loses when you sweat!
Tip #3 – Eat fruits and vegetables every day! When it comes to nutrition for high school football players, getting the proper amounts of protein and carbohydrates are usually the only thing that has talked about. Getting enough protein and carbohydrates in your diet is very important for young athletes that are growing and demanding a lot out of your body. But it certainly shouldn’t be the only priority when it comes to nutrition!
Fruits and vegetables or what contain a lot of the minerals, vitamins, and nutrients that your body needs in order to recharge, recover, support your immune system, and build healthy tissues (muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, bones) in your body. Make sure you are including fruits and vegetables in your diet every day and you will notice a difference!
Football Injury Rehabilitation Services in Saint Johns, FL
While these tips are incredibly important for staying sharp during this football season, in the Northeast Florida heat, your body will still develop aches and pains and soreness along the way! Make sure to follow our future blogs to see how you can keep your muscles and joints in top shape and how you can avoid injuries during the season!
At St. Johns Chiropractic & Performance, we offer affordable injury prevention and injury recovery services! If you get injured, please get in touch with your local sport injury rehabilitation specialist! Call our office or schedule online to find out what we can do for you during this season! Good luck this year to our local high schools – Creekside, Bartram Trail, Nease, Beachside, Tocoi, and Ponte Vedra!
