Field hockey is part of Canadian culture. It’s a sport that not only improves cardiovascular fitness and physical endurance, but is also fun to play. To enjoy it to the full, here are a few tips on how to avoid injury.
CARRY YOUR EQUIPMENT
You know that big black bag that holds all those smelly things? It’s often heavy and needs to be carried with great care. To lift it, bend your knees and keep your back straight. Avoid swinging the bag in one big movement to put it over your shoulder: these rotating and bending movements put stress on ligaments, muscles and intervertebral discs, which can lead to a lumbar sprain. Pouches on wheels are ideal. If you don’t have one, carry it like a backpack, rather than putting all its weight on one shoulder.
GETTING ON THE ICE AND WARMING UP
The warm-up is crucial for stimulating the body and getting it moving. Take 5 to 10 minutes to do a few laps around the rink. Then work on each joint separately. Rotations lasting 15 to 60 seconds are sufficient. The most important joints are wrists, shoulders, ankles, knees, hips, lower back and neck.
GOOD HYDRATION
Skating for an hour can be very intense. That’s why it’s important to drink plenty of fluids to replace the water lost during the action. Hydrate before, during and after the game. A teaspoon of salt and sugar in a liter of water will help you retain all the minerals lost through sweat.
A FEW MINUTES OF STRETCHING
After the game, give yourself a few minutes to stretch. The body is nice and warm, so there’s less risk of injuring the muscle. Stretching will help eliminate muscle waste and improve recovery, while preventing soreness.
Here are some post-game stretching exercises
Quadriceps: Standing, bend your knee and grip your ankle. Keeping your back straight, bring your foot to your buttock. You should feel the stretch in the front of your thigh. Hold for 10 seconds, repeating twice on each side. You can touch a wall for balance.
quadriceps
Buttocks: Sitting on the floor, keep your left leg straight out in front of you. Bend your right knee and place your foot on the outside of your left knee. Use both hands to pull the knee towards your left shoulder. Keeping your back straight, you should feel the stretch in your right buttock. Hold for 10 seconds, repeating twice on each side.
glutes
Hips: On your back, bend your left hip at 90 degrees. Place your right foot on your left knee. Using your hands, pull the thigh towards you. You should feel the stretch on the side of the hip. Hold for 10 seconds and repeat twice on each side.
hips
What about prevention?
Injuries to the spine and extremities are common in field hockey. A fit musculature can help prevent these ailments. But there are other risk factors to consider. The field hockey player’s bent posture puts constant pressure on the lower back and hips. In addition, falls on the ice, plating and twisting movements can cause injuries to the spinal neuro-biomechanics.
It is therefore important to add some muscle-strengthening activities to your practice. A health professional can prescribe exercises appropriate to your condition. You may also benefit from a preventive examination to detect certain neuro-musculo-skeletal dysfunctions. Don’t wait until you’ve injured yourself before seeking advice. And don’t forget to maintain good posture… even while watching a game in your living room.
