Ten Basketball Safety Tips

Each basketball player is at risk of injuring himself whether by accident or by pure negligence. An injury is not a good thing to experience or deal with so here are some tips that will help you keep yourself from undergoing such a dilemma.

1. Before you play ball, it would be advisable that you undergo a series of tests. A complete physical will surely help determine whether or not you are fit to play basketball.

A physical exam is not only recommended to those individuals who are about to start playing ball but also to those basketball players that are recovering from a particular injury. This physical exam will keep them from playing prematurely thus worsening their condition.

2. Whether on a practice game or on an actual game, do not forget to warm up. Warming up will help prepare your body from the stresses it has to undertake during the game. When warming up, you stretch your muscles and loosen your joints. There are a lot of warm up exercises you can perform that will help prep your body. Skipping the warm up part may not do you any good.

3. Maintain an appropriate weight. Keep in mind that when playing, you will have to do a lot of running and jumping. If you put on more weight, you are most likely to add more stress to your joints when you do the activities. Additional weight can also result to limited activity and joint problems. The maintenance of the appropriate weight greatly reduces the chances of injury when jumping and landing.

4. Wear the right type of shoes. Basketball shoes are constructed in a different way from running shoes so it is really not advisable to wear running shoes or sneakers when playing ball.

Most basketball shoes are hi-cut that provides ample ankle support. We all know that when landing, you can always lose your balance and twist your ankle. Wearing shoes with ankle support can help reduce the severity of that injury.

5. Arms can fly off during the game so if you want added protection for your eyes you can always opt to wear goggles. In addition, if you have some minor visual problems, you can always wear graded goggles that allow you to see more clearly.

6. Remove all types of jewelries before the game. Accessories are not advisable because it can get caught on the other players' uniform. These accessories may be small but it can put you at risk for injuries.

7. Maintain proper body posture. If you are the defensive player, always follow the defensive stance and plant your feet firmly unto the ground. Proper body posture can reduce the risk of lower back injuries as well as knee injuries.

8. Wear the proper clothing. As much as possible, wear basketball jerseys rather than shirts and jeans. In addition, it is also advisable for men to wear supporter briefs. Boxers are highly discouraged.

9. Always play by the rules. When the game gets heated, the players tend to get more physical so as much as possible keep in mind the rules and keep your distance when you are defending. Getting too close can result to a foul as well as an irritated opponent.

10. If the area is too tight, learn to pass the ball. Often times, basketball players take the risk of falling down hard by doing the lay up even if it is too crowded below. If you see someone that is open and the paint is too crowded, might as well pass it than risk injuring yourself.