Avoiding injury

Did you know?

Rugby union is the sport that leads to the most ACC injury claims each year, with netball and soccer vying for second place.

Each year, New Zealand’s accident compensation scheme, the ACC, deals with thousands of claims from people who have been injured during physical activity.

In 2005/2006, almost 22,000 Kiwis registered new claims with ACC, at a cost of $101,000, while nearly 6,000 ongoing claims cost the same again. Many injuries in sport and recreation are easily preventable and one of the ACC's major goals is to reduce both the number and the severity of them. To combat the problem, it has developed a 10-point action plan called SportSmart, available on its website, which contains useful advice for exercise fans, whatever their level of activity.

Common injuries

An injury can affect your bones, muscles, joints, or the connective tissues that hold them together - the tendons and ligaments. In New Zealand, the most common reported injuries are ankle sprains, concussion, hamstring strains, knee sprains and shoulder injuries. Generally, those who are the most at risk are people who begin vigorously exercising after years of inactivity. But even the very physically active can be at risk.

One common cause of injury in contact sports is trauma, eg, a broken bone, twisted knee, or sprained ankle. These injuries are usually caused by an unexpected impact and there is little you can do to avoid them. But other injuries build up over a period of time and are easily preventable. The important thing to remember is that the old adage of ‘no pain, no gain’ has long been disproved.

Common causes of injury

• Continuing to exercise even when suffering from a twinge, sharp pain, or ache. Never just work through it. Stop and seek help or you could end up with a chronic condition that is far harder to treat. In some cases, issues with our own bodies, like muscle weakness or too much body weight pressuring joints, can lead to injury.
• Too much exercise too soon. Body tissues are capable of withstanding considerable stress, but can be prone to injury if they aren’t used to it. Build physical activity gradually.
• Poor technique. Repetition of an action with faulty technique can result in excessive load on tissues.
• Poor or inappropriate equipment. If you enjoy an activity which involves impact, such as running and jumping, then invest in good footwear to support your feet and cushion your body from shock.
• Failure to warm up and warm (cool) down. Many of the body's tissues (particularly muscle) respond better to loading when they're warm.
• Third parties. People who are physically active outdoors must be aware of traffic, uneven surfaces, or loose pets.