懂你英语level6 unit1 part3 reading Preventing injuries

Exercise and a certain amount of strenuous physical activity are important for maintaining good health. However, before engaging in them, it's important to know how to prevent injuries from occurring, especially for athletes and elderly people. Injuries can be minimized by doing a proper warm up. This consists of increasing your heart rate and blood flow to all parts of your body. A good way to do this is through a series of static stretches followed by a series of dynamic stretches which are done while moving.

Using the proper equipment is essential especially in contact sports to protect the head. For example, well designed helmets can greatly reduce the incidence of concussions. Concussions are caused when the soft gel like brain slams into the hard human skull. Research shows that repeated concussions can have serious consequences.

Compression sportswear is another way to reduce the risk of injury, especially muscle injuries. More and more athletes are using them because  Their use can also speed up muscle recovery when an injury occurs.

Another contributing factor in sports injuries and fatigue. Doctors believe that fatigue is an important warning sign that the body has reached its limit when fatigued, it is more difficult for the body to protect itself. Therefore it's a good idea to stop an activity at the first sign of fatigue. Rest periods, even for professional athletes, can prevent serious injuries from occurring.

Understanding injuries and the body's reaction to them can help people cope with the problems that accompany physical exercise. The support and understanding of coaches, teammates, and family can be a critical factor in prevention and recovery. Once an injury occurs, it's too late to prevent it, and recovery can take a long time. For the elderly, a simple fall can be fatal.