As more older Americans continue to enjoy exercise, their rate of sports-related injuries has risen significantly.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission found that sports-related injuries increased 54 percent for people 65 and older from 1990 to 1996, the most recent data available. Most injuries were associated with active sports such as biking, skiing, tennis and skating. Often, injuries were related to inflammation and simple wear and tear aggravated by overuse.
Mayo Clinic Health Letter offers several tips to avoid sports injuries:* Begin and end your exercise session with a few minutes of walking followed by simple stretches to warm up and cool down.* Pace yourself. The optimal daily goal is 30 minutes or more of moderate activity. Remember, "no pain, no gain" is bad advice. * Use the right equipment that fits. If you bike, wear a helmet. (The most common injuries are bike related and most of those are from falls and head injuries.) * Take lessons if needed. Learning proper technique and form can help you avoid injuries with unfamiliar sports or new exercise equipment. * Alternate activities. Whatever recreation you enjoy, it's a good idea to alternate activities from day-to-day to avoid overuse injuries.
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