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Ways to Prevent and Treat Parkour Injuries

[A note from WFPF: A great way to help prevent injuries to to become certified as a Parkour teacher by WFPF! For more info go to:

https://wfpf.com/in-person-events/

and https://wfpf.com/services/coachingjudging/

or both, for in-person (since 2012) and online (since 2020) Parkour instructor certifications because… Safety first!!}

Over the years, parkour has proven that it’s more than just a fad. Back in 2014, it was estimated that 11+ million Americans participated in the sport. Today, it continues to surge in popularity. It’s even seen growth throughout the COVID-19 pandemic since it’s a socially-distanced sport that allows individuals to stay active and get creative.

But, if you’ve done any kind of parkour in your life – whether once or twice or you’re an avid athlete and building-scaler, you undoubtedly know the risks.

Parkour is an extreme sport, there’s no doubt about it. Every time you take a step, you’re also taking a risk. No matter how skilled you might be, it is a physically demanding, yet dynamic way to keep yourself active, compete with others, and challenge yourself.

Like any other athlete, it’s important to take care of your body and keep yourself safe and healthy. The best thing you can do is try to prevent parkour injuries as much as possible. If you do end up getting injured, knowing how to take care of yourself properly will get you back to jumping and scaling in no time.

So, let’s look at a few ways to help prevent and treat parkour injuries, so you won’t have to worry about slowing down any time soon.

Take the Time to Train

One of the best ways to prevent getting injured when doing parkour is to make training a priority. Obviously, you’re not just going to jump from one building to another without some kind of practice or experience first, right? You’ll start small and work your way up. But, you’ll never get stronger or faster without training properly.

Additionally, without training, you’re setting yourself up to get hurt.

Parkour training is just as important as staying in shape for any other sport. You need to have strength and stamina to be successful in your jumps and tricks. Parkour isn’t the same as freerunning, and you’ll have to use your strength to get through obstacles. You’ll need both upper and lower body strength to be successful, so make sure you build a strength training routine that works for your body type.

Training will also help you to overcome mental obstacles that could harm you. You can’t hesitate or be fearful when you’re doing parkour. But, without training, it’s easy to lack confidence in certain tricks and jumps. If you hesitate, even for a second, it could cause serious injury. Training will help you to build confidence so you’ll run courses smoothly, with enhanced creativity and even improved cognitive abilities.

There is no one “ideal” training regimen to follow. Find what works for you, and make sure your routine includes a mixture of cardiovascular training and weight training, so you can build up speed, stamina, and strength all at once.

Be Conscious of Your Health

In addition to training your body, you also need to be aware of the things your body might be telling you. You might be overtraining, causing you to feel weak or fatigued. That, too, is dangerous. Overtraining can cause you to tear a muscle or become so weak that you can’t perform properly.

It’s also essential to practice self-care every single day, to keep your mental and physical health in check. Self-care is a very personal thing, but it’s about doing something that relaxes you and something you truly enjoy, even for a few minutes each day. Some examples include:

• Creating a regular sleep routine.
• Cooking/eating healthy meals.
• Getting outside as much as possible.
• Taking breaks throughout the day.

Make sure you’re staying up-to-date on visits with your physician, and contact them if you have any questions or concerns about your overall health. By making your well-being a priority, it’s one less thing to worry about when you’re trying to train. Taking care of yourself can also help to improve your training sessions and make you stronger. If you have any pre-existing conditions, keeping them in check is crucial. There are a variety of foods you can add to your diet to strengthen your joints. Turmeric is one of the best for joint pain and other long-term chronic issues. You can overcome almost anything, and parkour can give you the confidence to do so. But, that doesn’t mean you should ever ignore your health.

Educate Yourself on Injuries

As you might expect, there are a variety of different injuries that can occur from parkour. A short fall could cause a skinned knee. If you have sensitive skin you treat daily, something as simple as rolling on asphalt could cause it to become irritated and even contribute to substantial bleeding. A wrong step or landing could lead to a twisted ankle, a sprain, or even breaking a bone. Some of the most common parkour injuries include:

• Foot and hand bruises
• Shin hits
• Knee capitations
• Knee sprains
• Ankle sprains
• Shoulder/hip bruising
• Ripped hands

While these aren’t the only possible injuries, you’re more likely to deal with one (or several) of them at some point.

So, it’s important to be as educated as possible when it comes to treating injuries. Obviously, in the case of things like a bone break or a sprain, the best thing you can do is go to a hospital right away. Bones typically need to be reset and put in a cast or splint immediately so they can heal properly.

But, if you’re dealing with scrapes, cuts, or sprains, you can administer first aid right away and start the healing process quickly. Knowing even the basics of first aid can make a big difference in your safety and wellbeing. First aid training can provide you with more confidence, quick relief from pain, and even an improved reduction in your recovery time. It’s worth it to take a first aid class or get the proper training and make sure you always have a kit nearby with all of the medical supplies you might need in case of an accident.

There is no other sport quite like parkour. The minute you get started with it, you quickly realize that. So, make sure you’re doing whatever it takes to keep yourself safe and free from injury so that you can keep up with the sport for as long as possible.