Spring is a time of budding trees, blossoming flowers, walks in the park, and spring sports!  
Some of the most popular school sports, baseball, soccer, lacrosse and softball, start up this time of year.  Being involved in sports brings many benefits for student athletes such as building friendships, learning disciplinary skills, and getting physically fit.  
While participating in sports is a lot of fun, being sidelined with a sports injury is not. Here are a few helpful tips on preventing injuries to help ensure a healthy spring sports season.
Get your pre-season physical: Pre-participation exams are required by many school districts, sports organizations, and summer camps to measure an athlete’s health and fitness level.  A pre-season or sports physical is a great way to measure your strength and flexibility to determine if you may be at risk  for a sports injury.
Ease into it: Before your team’s actual conditioning season begins, it is suggested you begin an individual conditioning regimen a few weeks prior to the season. Spring training has you working muscles that haven’t been fully activated in a while, and easing into it helps your body get used to being fully engaged. It can help with your endurance so you are able to “keep up” with the workouts when the season begins.
Wear your gear: Be sure to wear protective gear such as helmets, protective pads, gloves, mouth guards, and other gear depending upon the sport you play.
Wear sunscreen: This may seem silly, but most of us have been hiding from the sun all winter and spring training is our first exposure to the sun.  Don’t let a bad sunburn ruin the game or practice.
Stay hydrated: Heat-related illness is a concern for athletes during the hot and humid days of spring and summer.  Be sure to have adequate water before, during, and after every game/practice, and watch out for any signs of fatigue, nausea, vomiting, or fainting.
Eat a well-balanced diet: It’s important for athletes to eat a well-balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins and maintain a consistent eating schedule.
Get your sleep: Fatigue is a major driver of injury, especially when it comes to muscle fatigue and muscle exhaustion from inadequate sleep.  Sleep when your body needs it and stick to a regular sleep regimen to get your body in tune.

At AFC Urgent Care, we administer sports, school, and camp physicals to ensure you’re ready for your sports season.
As an urgent care center, we provide high-quality, compassionate care and serve as an alternative to your local emergency room for most sports injuries including:

• Sprains
• Breaks and Fractures
• Joint pain
• Bruising
• Cuts and Abrasions
• Dizziness

For more information on the services we provide, visit us today or call us at 908-222-3500.