If you're age 40 or over, you realize how important that it is to stay physically active to keep your health in the best condition possible. One way to maintain good health is to engage in regular physical activity and sports. If you love to play sports, it's important to take care of your body to prevent injury. In the event that you are injured, there are specific treatment options that are age-related, and here are just a few.

PRICE Method

One of the most popular methods for treating a sports injury is the PRICE Method- protection, rest, ice, compression and elevation. Protect your injured body part from further damage and be sure to get plenty of rest. If you're over 40, be sure to ice your injury right away and keep it elevated. Wearing a compression sock or brace can also help stabilize the injured muscle group. While everyone should follow these steps, it's especially viable in athletes over 40. The reason for this is that your stabilizer muscles begin to weaken and you begin to lose muscle mass. Your tendons, ligaments and most soft tissue can take longer to get used to strength training. The result can make it harder to recover from a heavy workout, strenuous exercise and mild to serious sports injury.  

Seek Immediate Medical Care

In your younger days of high school and college, you may have been able to get away with brushing off a minor sports injury with no complications. It's important now that you're over 40 to seek immediate medical care. This means visiting the emergency room or urgent care center for a proper evaluation. The doctor may recommend an x-ray or CT scan to rule out any major break or torn ligament or muscle. If you have a sports injury, be sure to follow the proper steps to recovery to help avoid further damage or surgical intervention.

Wear Proper Support

Compression is important to help keep your legs, arms or wrists stabilized while you heal properly, but you'll need to also wear the proper shoes to help make sure you are balancing your weight properly. Your doctor will fit you with an orthotic or special, customized footwear to protect your feet while you heal the right way.   

Physical Therapy Regimen

Part of healing from a sports injury means getting set up on the right physical therapy program tailored to your needs. Your emergency doctor or family doctor will likely refer you to a physical therapist for an evaluation and program routine. The goal will be to increase your mobility and range of motion as your body heals in the right direction and you regain strength and balance.

Taking the best care of yourself after a sports injury will help your body heal properly and prevent future complications. Find a trusted clinic, such as Advanced Physical Therapy, for even more tips.