Nutrition
Nutrition is an important part of your recovery regime. While the amount of nutrients you need can vary depending on the type of sport you practice, generally after a match you should have a meal high in protein and glycaemic index carbohydrates. If you have any questions or would like to know what nutrients you should be consuming, make sure you contact a qualified nutritionist.
Stretching
What about stretching? There’s a lot of chatter about whether stretching is beneficial, but we do know that posture and exercise habits can shorten muscles. Stretching immediately after exercise can help return muscle length and boost joint flexibility. We suggest you stretch each muscle group 2-3 times, holding each for around 15-30 seconds. There shouldn’t be any discomfort or pain when you stretch.
Compression Garments
Compression garments have become quite popular over the past several years. But do they help you recover faster? Wearing these garments after your sporting match can promote faster recovery, relieve muscle soreness and minimise blood markers of muscle damage. There is little research to confirm how this occurs, but many users believe that compression helps decrease inflammation associated with exercise.
Sleep
Getting adequate sleep is the most important part of recovery. Many doctors recommend between 8-10 hours of quality sleep. We understand that sometimes it can be hard to get enough sleep post-match, and if this sounds like you, try using the methods above as they can help stimulate quality sleep.
Whether it’s a round of golf, a football match or a game of cricket, working on your recovery allows you to perform at your best with less risk of injury. Add some of the above to your post-match routine, and you can be well on your way to recovery!
