Sports Then and Now

The ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus probably first said that “the only constant in the universe is change.” This phrase definitely applies to sports injuries, at least to some extent.

Some people still remember the 1992 NBA All-Star game which featured the return of Magic Johnson. A few months earlier, he had retired after announcing he was HIV positive. Several other players, including Karl Malone, openly expressed misgivings about Johnson’s return and their own risk of contracting AIDS. We now know these fears were foolish, but they were very real at the time.

Fortunately, deadly sexually-transmitted diseases like AIDS are not a problem on most sports teams. But sports injuries are a constant concern. In some cases, the treatment approach has changed significantly in recent years; in other cases, not so much.

Football and Concussions

Head injuries have been an issue in football ever since William Harvey laced up the cleats for Penn in 1894. “In a scrimmage behind the goal I was knocked insensible, but recovered in about fifteen minutes,” he later wrote. For the next hundred years, every player who received a head injury in football got basically the same treatment: a few plays off, some smelling salts, and a cursory “how many fingers am I holding up” medical exam.

Things began to change in 1994 when then-NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue ordered league doctors and other scientists to examine the problem more closely. Today, no one is really sure how the NFL and other football leagues should handle head injuries. Players want to play, coaches want to win, and fans want to see lots of action, but a player’s long-term health is at stake. There’s a balance there somewhere.

New innovations should help improve treatment protocols. For example, the Food and Drug Administration recently approved a concussion diagnosis blood test. Very soon, this test could eliminate the guesswork involved in this area. Read the rest of this entry →

If you are a professional tennis player at heart or you simply love hitting aces to get your daily cardio and stay physically fit, you may be toying with the idea of installing a tennis court on your property. One thing all homeowners need to get a court within their property bounds in uninhibited space. Once you have space, the rest of the feat is in the planning and the physical labor. Here’s what you should know before you start buying decor to make it look like you have Wimbledon in your backyard:

Start with the Zoning First

The very first thing that any property owner needs to do when planning to install a tennis court is to get approval by the city zoning officials or by the Homeowners Association. If you live in a neighborhood without an HOA, the first step would be to contact the city you reside in for information on zoning restrictions and how to apply for a permit.

If you live in a community where there is an HOA, you will need to review your bylaws first. These bylaws will clearly lay out restrictions and what is needed to get approval to build a tennis court. Since the zoning and permitting process can take a significant amount of time, it’s wise to start this early on with the city. Read the rest of this entry →

Finding a new job is probably the most boring, exhausting and daunting things that you could be doing with life after college, but switching careers from a secure job to another industry? That’s a huge challenge! When you’ve been working in a particular career for a long time you could become too comfortable, and while this is great for your business, it’s not going to be good for you if you aren’t entirely interested in what you’re doing. If you wanted to move into a career in sports because you love it so much, and your resume doesn’t have much on it that includes sports involvement beyond cheering on your team, what do you do?

Well, you need to think of your brand. You may well have been running your own company with a good PayPal working capital that keeps your branding and marketing going, but that doesn’t mean you have any idea what it means to brand yourself. A lot of people base their own brand on what they do for a living, but if you’ve never worked in sports before you’re going to need to know how to rebrand yourself to be attractive to recruiters. It’s important to look at your resume for exactly what it is: a way to market yourself. Your resume isn’t your job application, it’s your document that explains exactly who you are and what you can do. If you’re an artist who is looking to move into a creative marketing role in the sports industry, make yourself shine by showing your own logo and design the company you’re hoping to move to a funky new artwork for their logo, too. Those who want to be sports readers could start up a vlog on YouTube reporting the local sports results and giving commentary on games. You could provide your interviewer with a link on your resume and they can watch how confident you are on camera. Read the rest of this entry →

Sports are a wonderful way of keeping your children fit and active while also doing something fun. Who knows, what may start out as a fun activity, may turn into a possible career path for your child. But regardless of what the outcome may be, sports are a way of getting your child off the PlayStation, out of the house, and doing something that is not only good for them, but that it’s something they enjoy too.

It’s not just about the physical aspect of it either though; they will also socialize and make friends, while learning life skills, such as teamwork, responsibility, and communication.

Here are some ideas about how you can get your children excited about sports. Read the rest of this entry →

There’s a saying about horseplay that goes, “it’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt.” This also applies to playing sports. While sports injuries can come from a variety of causes, such as an unfortunate collision with another player or a wrong turn of an ankle, they need to be treated as soon as possible. Here are four tips on how to recover quickly from a sports-related injury.

Get Medical Attention Right Away

There’s no sense in delaying things when it comes to a sports injury. Regardless of whether it’s a sprain, a twist, or a broken bone, it needs to be attended to immediately. Issues such as concussions can be especially physical traumatic and need to be dealt with as soon as possible. Even if an injury seems rather benign, it should still be looked over by a professional who can give the best assessment possible.

Relax

Healing is possible following a sports injury, but you need to make sure you give your body time to heal. Whatever part was injured, you need to make sure it’s properly rested. If it needs a cast or a sling, it should stay in there as long as the doctor requires it to. Even if you feel ready to get back into athletics, you should wait until you have the proper medical clearing to do so. Read the rest of this entry →

While most people adopt a fitness routine to help shed fat and build lean muscle, the benefits extend well beyond the physical. Cognitive processes may be ephemeral, but the brain is ultimately physical and therefore stands to benefit from a healthy body built through playing sports. The next time you’re working out, keep these mental benefits in mind as further motivation for staying fit.

Improved Mood

If you suffer from chronic stress or depression, participating in sports is a natural way to help combat these negative emotions. Team sports are particularly effective, since their group nature can help you to build the camaraderie and support network needed for a healthy mind. The mere act of physical movement itself is also a powerful mood booster. Exercise relieves the muscle tension, poor posture, and other physical symptoms of stress, while also releasing endorphins, a mood-improving hormone vital for healthy brain function. Read the rest of this entry →