Category: Casual Sports

Many believe that video games can cause people to become lazy and lethargic. Although in some cases this may be true, for others it can actually improve certain skills. When played over an extended period of time, most video games help to improve hand-eye coordination. In fact, the improvement is so substantial that health companies and clinics are introducing video games to their surgeons as it helps to enhance precision movements.

This will help surgeons hone their skills and perform tasks that require limited space. Sports games are similar to action games in the sense that they are fast-paced and take good hand-eye coordination to win.  For some, they are preferable to many action games because they do not involve violence.  Though players will not learn the physical skills necessary to excel in actual sports by playing sports video games, they can learn player moves and team strategies that are used to win games.  Thus, quick thinking and making fast analysis and decisions are involved, often in situations that are constantly changing.

Which sports games are best for improving skills

Many sports games such as a golf simulator can help you improve your game. Other games include FIFA, which improves hand and eye coordination when playing football. The game is designed to give players the experience of playing football that is close to life-like.  It even models the emotions of all 22 players, giving fans the chance to experience the personalities of the world’s best soccer players during a match.  The player control is responsive making Man-to-Man battles more engaging, and the quick decision-making on the pitch stimulates the brain.

Benefits

With the host of multiplayer games available today, players can connect with people from across the world and play with them. While this is not socializing in person, gamers have the opportunity to talk to and get to know a vast variety of people. Some research points to attention difficulties as being a key component of dyslexia. One study has shown dyslexics improved their reading comprehension following sessions of games heavy on action.

The reason, researchers believe, is that the games have constantly changing environments that require intense focus. Many games use actual historical events to drive their stories. Those characters and places can then spark a child’s interest in discovering more about the culture they are immersed in, according to researchers. Parents who have obtained books, maps, and other resources connected to games have reported their children are more engaged with learning, which can lead to a lifetime appreciation for history. An extremely good benefit is that while some games promote a whole-body level of interaction, even those requiring a simple handheld controller can lead to physical activity.

Sports games that involve basketball, tennis, or even skateboarding can lead to children practicing those same skills outdoors. Gamers using systems that incorporate the entire body to control onscreen movement have been shown to be more engaged in celebrating victories with their peers, which runs counter to the lack of communication people with autism sometimes present. A study also showed that sharing space with multiple players can also lead to increased social interaction for those with autism. Most major consoles now have the technology to get gamers off of the couch and onto their feet. The future of VR gaming will take things to a whole new level. Mobile game programmers have also started to create games that are played across physical space, building them around real-world location data and inspiring gamers to relocate in order to advance in the virtual world.

To summarise

It seems that playing sports games does in fact have an impact on people in the real world. Studies have proved this, and many in the gaming community have shown interest in taking up sports such as football, golfing, bike racing, and more. There are many more benefits to gaming than many people truly realize. VR (Virtual Reality) gaming is becoming bigger, meaning that gamers can almost fully immerse themselves in a lifelike game. This only further provides the mental stimulation needed, and there are many games designed to increase physical exercise. These games including dancing games, sports games, and interactive puzzle games to stimulate the mind.

When people hear the term sports therapy, it often confuses them. And that is an understandable reaction to have. The term itself seems like it should be clear enough, but leaves people scratching their heads. What is it really?

The medical field is a large one. There are hundreds of different avenues of medical care available, catering to the different needs of different people. And sports therapy is simply another one of these avenues.

There might be any number of reasons you need to look into sports therapy. Maybe you are an athlete looking for help. Perhaps you are opening up a medical spa and need more insight into this niche area. If that is the case our guide will take a look into what sports therapy is and why it is so important. A quick side note, for anyone looking to open a medical spa, this guide will not go into details about operations. For those interested, you can find help with marketing for a medical spa here.

What is it?

Sports therapy is, at first glance, exactly what it sounds like. It is a therapy based around sports. But this is quite a vague statement. So let us dive deeper. High-level athletes put a massive strain on their bodies daily. Whether this is in training or during a match. This strain on their bodies is significantly more than the average person experiences during normal healthy exercise. And it is because of this extra strain that athlete often requires greater physical recovery methods. And that is where sports therapy comes in.

The first big part of sports therapy is a sports massage. Sounds nice right? You would be wrong. A sports massage is one of the most painful and grueling massages you can ever get. Carried out not long after a match or intense workout, it is designed to remove all the intense knots and lactic acid build-up within the joints and muscles and stop cramps, tears, and stiffness. But this massage is intense. It requires moving the muscles and massages them with great, painful pressure to really get them to relax. Painful, but healthy. Without sports massages, athletes are much more likely to seriously injure themselves and cause irreversible damage to their muscles.

These massages are often followed by ice baths. These are designed to shock the body but also relax it. Ice is proven to reduce swelling and stimulate the body to work harder. That is why athletes take ice baths, it gets their blood flowing closer to the muscles and stimulates muscle repair while also help training lung capacity and reducing swelling.

Recovery

Athletes get hurt. It is a sad truth about the world of sports. Injuries happen. And athletes need to recover from them properly. Physical therapy is a huge part of sports therapy. The athlete often has varied dietary requirements and needs and, as such, need specialized physical therapy regimes to aid in their recovery efforts. But it goes further than that.

Athletes are people just like us. And their job is stressful. There is a lot of pressure on them to play well and win. And losing can put a massive strain on their mental wellbeing and confidence. Not to mention dealing with the press and being under the public eye is strenuous as well. And internal conflict within the team and the stress of training takes its toll.

That is why sports therapy also looks at the mental aspects of sports. It studies the impact sports has on athletes’ mental health and looks at ways to combat this and help them recover. The world of sports therapy has changed a lot and is now being more open to the mental issues that arise. That is why traditional therapy practices are being adapted for athletes as part of sports therapy.

A great example of this is certain sports teams now attend regular group therapy sessions as part of their training regime. Rather than everything being physical, they learn to open themselves up and respond to their emotions. And by doing this as a team they learn methods to support each other and be understanding of what other team members may be thinking or feeling. Tensions can run high out on the field. Fights happen. Words get flung. Damage is done. So these sessions serve as a point of calm and rest for these athletes.

Sports therapy is an often-understated field of medical care, but a very important one. Sport is a worldwide unifier. It brings us together in our communities. People love sitting down to watch their favorite team. But these athletes need the same care anyone does. That is why sports therapy is so important to athletes and the world as a whole.

Motivation

A crucial aspect of managing your sports team to a high standard would have to be keeping them motivated. For your team to work well they must have the necessary motivation to win. Keep morale up with rewarding good performance, encouraging your team and reminding your team of why they enjoy sports. Highlight the importance of having fun, winning isn’t as valuable as having a team who wants to do well. Although it can be frustrating if your team isn’t bringing home the wins, in order for them to win they must be motivated to do it, your team is full of players who have a passion for what they do, they may lose sight of this passion as it can be a very stressful industry, your job as a manager is to ensure they are doing their very best.

Down Time

Competing in professional sports can be a gruelling experience for the body, the constant training and regular games can have a seriously tiresome effect on your team. It is important you allow your tea to have the necessary downtime to relax and allow their body to recover from their sporting ordeal. In the unfortunate case that a team player goes through an injury, you must ensure the player has the required recovery time in order to ensure their safety.

Communication

All too often do we see managers holding back information from their team, this not only reduces morale but can damage your rapport with your team. Ensure you keep your team with the situation regarding the financial position, how the team is doing and any other issues that could affect your team. Transparency allows you to build a genuine friendship and shows how much you care about your team’s progression. Many managers make the mistake of keeping information from their team, even if you have negative news, communicating with the team and working through any issues you may face together adds a sense of strength and creates a united dynamic.

Health

As previously mentioned professional sports can have a negative impact on the body, health is vital to ensuring your team is as strong as it can be and ensuring the safety of each and every team member. It is not acceptable for a player to not go through regular health checkups and to get the medical attention they need. An injured player should be taken out of the game for at least one game, is it at their physiotherapist’s discretion as to whether they are well enough to play again. Although it can be frustrating when a great player is injured it is important to remember the value of your player’s health, never place their health as less important as a game.

Team Building

A big part of keeping up team morale and ensuring your team works as a strong unit is spending time conducting team building activities. Games like never have I ever or a game of 21 questions are great examples of fun games that can help your team become more familiar with each other. Taking time to encourage your team to have fun together and get to know each other more is a great way of forging a strong bond across your team which can only improve their performance on the field. If you have a close-knit team and you as a manager gain a rapport with them management becomes a breeze and the team are more confident and comfortable.

Training

As a manager, you will have an input in how and when your team trains, ensuring there is a solid balance between different exercises will help improve your team’s overall performance. Training can be damaging to motivation if it is not conducted in a fun and engaging way, try implementing some fun variations into the training activities you do with your team and use it as a means to boost morale. Managers are required to think about all aspects of their team from training to team building you should be able to use any time you spend together to help make the team a stronger force rather than just focusing on sports performance.