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Don’t Get Sidelined by Sports Injuries This Summer!
England played its first World Cup game this weekend, without the help of the legendary David Beckham. The soccer superstar watched the team from the bench, thanks to a torn Achilles tendon. Meanwhile Chilean striker Humberto Suazo barely made the roster for Chile’s first game against Honduras this Wednesday. A left thigh injury had Suazo sidelined for quite a while. Yet professional athletes aren’t the only ones who suffer from sports injuries—even amateurs can endure strains, strains, and other musculoskeletal damage.
Top Tips for Dodging Sports Injuries
Your best bet for preventing sports injuries is to take care of your whole body:
- Exercise regularly, and increase activity gradually. Before changing up your exercise routine, talk to a doctor about appropriate activity levels for your physical condition.
- Warm up and stretch properly before any strenuous activity. Warming up loosens the muscles, and stretching enables them to perform more effectively.
- Switch up your workout. Work different muscle groups each day, and vary the activities in your workout routine. That way damaged muscles have a better chance to heal.
- Inspect equipment, including shoes, regularly. Proper footwear makes all the difference in injury prevention. Meanwhile other safety equipment should be checked regularly for wear and tear that could mean it’s time for replacement.
- Cool down properly. Cooling down allows your muscles to return to normal temperature more gradually, preventing aches, pains, and soreness. Slowly reduce the intensity of your workout over a five- to ten-minute span.
- Seek softer surfaces. Hard courts and sidewalks place extra stress on joints and muscles. When possible, work out on more forgiving surfaces, such as grassy fields. Avoid overly soft surfaces, such as sandy beaches, which can cause overextension of leg muscles.
- Care for your body. Be sure to eat a healthy diet, drink plenty of water, and get enough sleep. These steps give the body the fuel it needs for exercise, and make it easier for the body to recover after vigorous activity.
- Kick unhealthy habits. Both tobacco use and alcohol consumption can damage the body, keeping you from reaching optimum health. That limits your ability to remain active and participate in more rigorous physical activity.
- Listen to your body carefully. There’s a difference between the usual aches and pains that follow a difficult workout, and the pain caused by overexertion or injury. If you feel sick, or feel hurt, take a break. Seek medical attention if your condition persists or worsens.
- Don’t skip the rehab. Physical rehabilitation is a critical step in sports injury recovery. It promotes a healthy and gradual return to activity, minimizing the chance for relapse and the effect of any permanent damage.
Treatment for Sports Injuries
If you find yourself facing a sports injury, the hospitals of HCA East Florida are poised to help you recover fast. The following hospitals offer orthopedic care:
If you have questions about sports injury prevention, or would like a referral to an orthopedic specialist, call Consult-a-Nurse® at 1-866-4-HCA-DOCS. Our qualified nurses can answer your questions and help you find a specialist near you—24 hours a day!
Sources:
http://www.achillestendon.com/PreventingInjuries.html
http://medicalcenter.osu.edu/patientcare/healthcare_services/mens_health/sports_injuries/PreventingSportsInjuries/Pages/index.aspx
About HCA East Florida
Building a Healthy Community
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In communities across South Florida and the Treasure Coast, more than 12,000 of your neighbors, friends and colleagues are committed to building a Healthy Community – a community with dedicated neighborhood groups, active little leagues, charities helping those in need, firstclass institutions that contribute to the overall well-being of the community, and businesses committed to making the communities they serve a better place.
A National Presence
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HCA’s roots date back to the 1960s when Dr. Thomas Frist, Sr. led a group of physicians to build a hospital in Nashville,Tennessee. Close to four decades of hard work and dedication have made HCA – Hospital Corporation of America – the nation’s leading provider of quality healthcare services, with locally managed facilities that include approximately 191 hospitals and 82 outpatient surgery centers in 23 states, England and Switzerland.
In Florida, there are 40 hospitals and 28 surgery centers, three division offices, and multiple other service facilities affiliated with HCA that employ close to 40,000 individuals.
HCA affiliated facilities in East Florida are a part of a quality healthcare network in East Florida and the Treasure Coast with 12 affiliated hospitals, 12 surgery centers, one integrated regional lab and one consolidated service center. Together, the network employs more than 12,500 individuals and has close to 6,000 physicians on staff.
A Commitment to Excellence
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Hospitals have become the front line of healthcare in our country, creating demands never seen before. Technology, a growing and ever-changing part of healthcare, has pushed the boundaries of how care is provided and the expectations of those receiving care. Providing high quality and cost effective healthcare requires a constant upgrade of our facilities and the technology within the facilities.
Whether it is an expanded Emergency Room or the latest imaging technology, our commitment to excellence is unwavering. Excellence is achieved when excellence is expected. HCA affiliated East Florida hospitals expect and are committed to excellence.
A Clear Vision
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HCA’s corporate mission and values statement says it best:
Above all else, we are committed to the care and improvement of human life. In recognition of this commitment, we strive to deliver high quality, cost effective healthcare in the communities we serve.
HCA East Florida and its 12 affiliate hospitals are proud to be living up to that commitment.
Recognized Leaders
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The benchmark for quality and leadership is found in the men and women who make up HCA East Florida network of hospitals. It is the caring touch of a physician, the friendly smile of a volunteer, the compassion of a nurse, the professionalism of a technician or the willingness to help of an office clerk. It is the excellence of the individual that has made HCA affiliated hospitals in East Florida recognized leaders in the communities they serve.
HCA’s affiliate hospitals consistently appear among the Top 100 Hospitals and receive outstanding ratings from the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. They receive 5 star ratings from Healthgrades, Inc. and recognition from the Leapfrog Group for Patient Safety. More importantly, our patient and physician satisfaction surveys consistently prove that the HCA affiliated East Florida hospitals are recognized leaders in the delivery of quality healthcare.
The 12 HCA East Florida affiliate hospitals provided in excess of $ 800 million in care to the neediest without any compensation. In addition, we have implemented a comprehensive charitable care policy that provides financial relief to more of our charity patients and needs-based discounts to uninsured patients.
One of the biggest challenges faced by the healthcare industry is the shortage of qualified healthcare professionals, especially Registered Nurses. Recognizing the challenge, we established scholarship programs at Palm Beach Community College, Broward Community College, Miami Dade College and Florida International University.
The active involvement of HCA affiliated hospitals in the community will continue through our support of major initiatives as well as our active leadership and participation in a variety of organizations that promote the social and economic wellbeing of our community and embrace our cultural diversity. If an initiative or organization is looking to build a Healthy Community, you’re likely to find someone from an HCA affiliated East Florida hospital actively involved.
“Healthy Community - A Community Initiative of the East Florida hospitals affiliated with HCA.”
The terms “HCA” or the “Company” as used herein refer to HCA Inc. and its affiliates, unless otherwise stated or indicated by context. The terms “facilities,” “hospitals,” “medical centers,” “surgery centers” and “affiliates” refer to entities owned or operated by subsidiaries or affiliates of HCA Inc. References herein to “HCA employees” or to “our employees” refer to employees of affiliates or subsidiaries of HCA Inc.
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