An Opportunity for Greatness
by Omar Fercha, MA, LAT, ATC
Soccer, aka fútbol, is not for the faint of heart. The game requires skill, athleticism, endurance, patience, and finesse. Soccer players spend more time on the pitch than they do off of it. Much like the industrial athlete who spends the majority of their time working and expending energy. Bet you didn’t think your experience would be closer to a soccer player’s, did you? Know thyself. Rest in peace, Socrates.
And with all that time on the field comes plenty of opportunity for injury. Joint sprains, muscle cramps, contusions to the feet and shins, getting headbutted in the chest after enraging the other team’s captain… they’re all on the table.
Rice, Rice Baby
There isn’t a single professional athlete in the world who shows up five minutes before the game starts, does a couple half-hearted stretches, and then goes out to compete. It just doesn’t happen.
And I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking, “Omar, have you ever seen a lion stretch before chasing down a gazelle?”
No. No, I have not. But I would also not consider you on the same level as a lion, so GO WARM UP your muscles before you get hurt!
And warming up means more than a feel-good stretch. Dynamic warm-ups have been shown to help reduce injury risk while preparing the body for the movements and demands ahead. Strength belongs in the conversation, too. The stronger we make our muscles, the better prepared they are to handle repeated demands.
Or, as Ted Lasso put it: “You gotta remember, your body is like day-old rice. If it ain’t warmed up properly, something real bad could happen.”
Hard to argue with science like that.
Stay on the Ball
Soccer is called the beautiful game because its most memorable moments aren’t always planned. Something develops from nothing. A simple mistake can turn into an amazing goal in a matter of seconds. These moments aren’t planned, but being ready for them doesn’t happen by accident.
The same goes for work. If you just show up and start working as hard as you can, you may not be ready when that opportunity for greatness comes. Prepare yourself for your workday.
- Take the time to walk to the other side of the pallet to pick up that five-pound box.
- Remind yourself to engage your core as you lean over your workstation.
- Pivot, PIVOT(!) with the box you’re carrying instead of planting your feet and twisting to place it on the pallet.
Pivot Don’t Twist
Aligning your shoulders, hips, and toes is key to avoiding twisting
- Think about “squaring up” towards your work
- Don’t plant your feet
- Pivot through your feet making sure shoulders, hips, and BOTH toes are pointed straight ahead at all times
Good movement takes a little more attention as the day wears on. Keep moving your feet, and keep yourself in the game.
Omar Fercha, MA, LAT, ATC || Omar is a Certified Athletic Trainer with 15 years of experience. He currently serves as a Senior Account manager for Work Right, providing support and hospitality to clients in the Pacific Northwest. Omar is a product of Washington State University, and has spent his time exploring different settings in the athletic training field. In 2012, he went on to earn his master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from New Mexico State University. When he is off the clock, you can find Omar on adventures with his wife Megan, his little girls Waverly and Wrenley, and dog, Khali.
Be sure to check out our other blogs for further injury prevention education and tips for the industrial athlete from Work Right!