Whether dusting off the golf clubs to hit the back nine, or grabbing a racket and playing some ferocious tennis, most everyone finds some reason to take advantage of the warmer months. To enjoy the season to its fullest, the warm weather athlete should take precautions to avoid unnecessary injury.

Injuries are preventable. Simple stretching exercises before physical exertion will help avoid even the most common injuries. Professional athletes wouldn't dream of competing until they've completed an entire warm-up. By design, a warm-up will increase the blood flow to the muscles that are about to be used. A muscle needs all its blood vessels fully functional in order for it to operate at peak efficiency.

A good warm-up should be designed to stretch the muscles and increase the heart rate. In general, it is good to begin with the large muscles of the legs and then work up to the torso, arms and neck muscles. Some warm-ups include the standard regimen of push-ups, sit-ups and the like. End the warm-up with some specific movements related to your sport. If it's tennis, for example, practice the backhand. If you're a golfer, imagine the perfect chip shot. Warm-up is also a great time to mentally prepare for what's ahead. Professional athletes call it getting a "game head". Depending on the type of sport, spend at least fifteen minutes warming up. Don't let the muscles cool off too quickly after warm-up. Put on a sweatshirt or change shirts. If the sport or physical activity is more than ten minutes from beginning, keep moving and stretching to keep those muscles warm and ready for competition!

Has it been more than a few months since the last game? Give the body even more time to gear up for physical exercise. The odds are, even after careful preparation and a full warm-up, the muscles will be sore the next day. Remember to end the activity with a cooling down period - including a slow jog and stretching, if possible.

Even when all the precautions are taken, injuries are bound to happen. Even the most experienced athletes get hurt at one time or another. Most sports injuries are a result of unexpected motion - the knee turns one way and the body another. Or perhaps, the muscle is pushed beyond its current limitations. The important thing is not to panic.

The most important aspect in healing a sports injury is time. It is going to take the body a specific amount of time to heal, regardless of the extent of injury. Some strains and sprains heal quickly depending on how severe, others may require more time and some therapy. Physical therapists use a variety of techniques and machines to speed the process of healing. Many athletes are turning to a more effective method of returning to health - acupuncture and Chinese medicine.

The telltale symptoms of injury, namely inflammation, represent a disruption in the channels of energy that run throughout the body. By placing acupuncture needles in specific points, the energy patterns are directed to return to normal. By reducing inflammation and increasing the circulation through the area, pain is also reduced or eliminated. In most cases, the healing process takes about half the time it would with other therapies.

For the year-round athlete, acupuncture is great for strengthening and nourishing the tendons and ligaments, thus preventing many injuries. Several professional athletes subscribe to acupuncture and Chinese herbal formulas to keep themselves in prime condition. Jim McMahon, the football quarterback, and even Mikhail Baryshnikov, the ballet dancer, are just two examples.

Physical fitness and sports have found a permanent and necessary place in our society. With a few preventative measures, weekend warriors can avoid that time on the sidelines and stay in the game.

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