Sports and other kinds of recreational activities are inherently risky endeavors for your entire body, none the least being your neck, spine, joints and muscles. If you or your children are active participants, proper body conditioning is an essential part of injury prevention.

According to experts, as much as 20 percent of all sports-related injuries involve the lower back or neck. Running and weightlifting, and other sports that involve repetitive impact, increase the risk of lumbar (lower back) injuries. Contact sports, such as soccer and football, expose the cervical spine, or neck to injury. More than one-third of all high school football players sustain some type of injury. Soccer participants are easy candidates for mild to severe head traumas, neck injuries, cervical spine damage, headache, neck pain, dizziness, irritability, and insomnia. Heading the ball, the act of using the head to re-direct the soccer ball, has been linked with cervical injuries in children and adults. Trampolines and gymnastics also present significant risks for spinal cord injuries from unexpected and brute force contact with hard surfaces.

There is no substitute for proper conditioning, and its role in preventing injury or minimizing the impact of injuries sustained during participation.

For minor injuries such as sprains or strains, follow the RICE (Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation) protocol. Apply ice on the site of a minor sprain or bruise at least until any noticeable swelling has dissipated. Avoid keeping ice applied for more than 20 minutes because ice can actually begin wearing out your blood vessels, which in turns, increases the likelihood of additional swelling. After an hour has passed, re-apply an ice pack to the site if pain or swelling has not gone away. Make sure to contact your physician if pain or swelling persists.