Medical Advice for Sports

Before beginning or restarting any sporting activity, always seek medical advice.

This article will walk you through a few medical recommendations that you should take into account when participating in sports. 

Medical Advice for Sports

You should exercise two to three times a week for 30-45 minutes in order for it to be of some benefit to you. This also prevents injury to muscles and tendons and keeps you supple.

Do not start exercising without warming up first. It is important to allow your body and muscles to warm up gradually and adjust to the activity that you will be engaging in. This will help you to avoid injury. Warmup times vary depending on the activity and the weather, with intensive activities and cold weather requiring a longer warmup session. 

When working out, take care not to push yourself beyond your limits, go too fast, or be too rough. Listen to your body, and slow down your pace — or stop completely — if pain appears. Additionally, remember to sleep well and do not become obsessed with exercising in order to avoid potential addiction.

N.B. When the weather is cold and dry or during times of strong heat, it is important to slow down the pace and the intensity of your activity. 

Keeping hydrated is essential to avoid injuries such as tendonitis, cramps, tiredness, hyperthermia, digestive disorders, and a decrease in performance. Loss of water can be rapid during exercise, and staying hydrated can help you to recover more quickly. 

After each workout session, stretching helps to prevent the occurrence of injuries, such as sprains, tendinitis, aches, pains, and stiffness. Stretching should last approximately 10 minutes after exercise. 

While working out, you should avoid smoking tobacco and drinking alcohol. Eating a healthy and well balanced diet, rich in fruit and vegetables, helps to avoid fatigue and injury. (The type of food eaten should be adapted to the sport or exercise undertaken as well as to the degree of its intensity. You should consider giving preference to carbohydrates, like rice and pasta.)