keep hurting myself during sports!

lynseya83

I'm beginning to think theres something wrong with me! :-(
Id. keep ending up hurting myself pretty badly doing sports.
For instance, last night during volleyball ( just taken it up again last week) I did a ( how dare I ) 3inch jump off the floor.  felt a ball snack off my calf , landed and realised there was in fact no ball there- that was my calf muscle tearing . It was a horrible popping feeling followed by a loss in support from my lower leg.. I can't really walk now and can't navigate stairs etc. ( on anti inflammatory and pain killers, deep heat and compression and kept it raised last night) .
Before that in squash and volleyball I've sort of hyperextended my elbow numerous times meaning I sometimes strap it up and can't straighten it without pain.
The year before I dislocated my knee!

Is there something wrong with me that my body just can't handle the pace!? I'm reasonably fit. I do resistance training and swimming as well as sports.

I don't particularly like the gym but I am a member of a local one ( I do fitness classes like insanity and body pump) and if I thought it would be useful I would go to do cycling or treadmill or elliptical trainer.

Any ideas of what may help me avoid constantly getting injured?... :-( 3

rrowdiness

I feel your pain, injuries suck.

Often injuries come when you ramp up too quickly (mind is willing but the body is weak kinda thing). Exacerbated by the fact you're doing high impact sports like volleyball, squash etc which are not easy on the body. Basketball, netball, football etc can also have this effect.

There are a heap of exercises you can do without having to be in the gym or destroying your body on the court.

Cycling is super. I wasn't a fan when I started, but I love it now. Really low impact and can be a lot of fun with a group. It's also a rare exercise you can incorporate into other activities, like commuting to & from work, or extending out your gym session by riding to & from the gym.

Swimming is super low impact, can be as intense as you want to make it, and gives you muscles and flexibility in all kinds of cool places. You also get wicked cool breath control.

Treadmill is still going to put stress on your knees, ankles & calves.

Elliptical...nyeh. I don't like elliptical, there I said it.

If you do want to continue down the impact sports route, ensure you do the recommended stuff - regularly see a physio for maintenance work on your body, do flexibility exercises daily, look at body strengthening exercises like yoga, and do exercises which help support tricky joints.