2023-06-19 16:05:41
Yes to padel, sup, beach volleyball, running, running on the beach, swimming and trekking in the summer, “but be careful of trauma and bruises”. This is the warning of the Siot (Italian Society of Orthopedics and Traumatology), which warns against the risks of summer sports. “Knowing the technique of the sport you want to practice is important – says Alberto Momoli, president of Siot and director of the Orthopedics and Traumatology Complex Operating Unit at the San Bortolo Hospital, Vicenza – and respecting adequate physical preparation before dedicating yourself to sport during the summer holidays is essential to limit the risk of injuries to ligaments, muscles and bones. Often those who practice the most common sports in the summer tend to do it as an amateur, increasing the risk of muscle stress, sprains and injuries”. La Siot, in addition to listing the risks and benefits of summer sports, debunks legends, myths and widespread popular beliefs, all related to physical activity: but are they true or false?
Does padel improve coordination, mobility and reflexes? Real. The benefits of padel are many – reads a note – it allows you to improve coordination, mobility and reflexes. It is also a good cardiovascular exercise that helps you lose weight and encourages you to adopt a healthier diet. It also increases cardio-respiratory capacity, helping to reduce some health risks and making the heart stronger and more effective. But it also has an important physical impact, which is why injury is around the corner for everyone, including the most athletically prepared. Injuries mainly concern the knee and ankle joints linked to rapid changes of direction with consequent twisting, but overload pathologies are equally frequent, such as tendinitis of both the upper and lower limbs and spinal disorders. Is it a sport suitable only for young people? False. It can also be practiced at an older age with due caution, good preparation and with the absolute certainty of being able, especially from a cardiovascular point of view (a sports medical certification is useful in this regard), to practice a sport which has a moderate physical impact.
Are all muscle groups involved in SUP? Real. The standing position, with obvious precarious balance and the need to maintain it thanks to the use of a single paddle, exercises and strengthens all muscle groups: muscles of the lower limbs, upper limbs but also the abdominals and back. Added to this is an excellent proprioceptive stimulus with a positive impact for all joints and for the intrinsic dynamics of this activity. The advantages of this sport are directly proportional to the technical skills. Is it also suitable for over 70s? False. The use of the board with a single paddle – the orthopedists continue – presupposes good muscular elasticity, a good muscular strength of the lower limbs and above all the presence of valid reflexes and joint agility which are not always present in the elderly population.
Can beach volleyball be done without being trained? Real. The type of athletic gesture, especially if undertaken at an amateur level, also allows those who are not in perfect shape to practice beach volleyball with fun and sufficient safety; but even for those who don’t have adequate training and have spent a winter without any possibility of doing simple movement, stretching is always recommended before playing beach volleyball, which is useful for preventing muscle damage. Are the potential injuries minor? False. The uneven surface of the sand, jumps, falls can be the basis of injuries that mainly affect the joints such as the ankles and knees, with potential capsular ligament damage.
And is running on the beach a good workout? Real. Due to the consistency of the ground, which is totally different from any surface where you can run, it requires greater physical effort with an obvious strengthening of muscle strength; moreover, training on the sand, especially in function of specific sporting activities, can increase the proprioceptive performance of all the joints of the lower limbs due to the lack of stability of the sandy surface. Is this a risk-free activity? False. Running on the beach – warns Siot – especially barefoot is at risk of functional overloads of the ankles and knees which can lead to very annoying tendon inflammations (Achilles heel tendinitis or plantar fasciitis), with long treatment times for the resolution.
With swimming (in the sea or in the pool) are the risks of trauma eliminated? Real. The water and the type of athletic gesture – explain the orthopedists – make the risks of trauma practically nil. Thinking that swimming in the sea or in the pool is the same thing is false. The sea conditions do not allow for a fluid swim like the one performed in the pool; moreover, the greater effort due to the presence of currents or waves, is not necessarily to be considered a positive factor for muscle strengthening compared to swimming in a pool.
Finally, are the benefits of trekking only on a muscular level? False. The benefits of this activity, typically mountainous, are many and not only linked, like many other sports, to muscle strengthening. They concern the cardiovascular system, also because the healthier mountain environment helps; it is a good activity for osteo-muscular stimulation suitable for preventing osteoporosis thanks also to sun exposure (vitamin D), it helps glycidic (suitable for diabetics) and lipid (stimulates the reduction of cholesterol) metabolism. Last but equally important consideration, the beneficial effects on the psyche also due to the environmental conditions typical of the practice of this sport.
Does the right footwear make a difference? True, not only do they represent an aid to safety on inaccessible and potentially dangerous paths but they allow the feet to have an ideal support, avoiding functional overloads and annoying load-bearing pathologies such as metatarsalgia (pain under the sole of the foot) and maintaining the stability of the ankles, preventing episodes of distortion, concludes Siot.
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