JBSA- Randolph Chapel - San Antonio News

MARCH 16, 2012 WINGSPREAD
PAGE 11
Sports
BRIEFS
Armed forces receive free
special access
Military members now
have free online access to the
National Collegiate Athletic
Association basketball championship
tournament.
Using their .mil email address,
military members can
register with the NCAA.com
website to receive free online
access to watch all 67 live
games using a personal computer,
tablet, Smartphone or
other select electronic devices
with Internet access.
Registration is ongoing and
runs throughout the championship
game. Mobile apps are
also available once registered.
To register, visit www.ncaa.
com/armedforces and, in the
appropriate area, enter the
.mil email address and then
confirm it. The .mil email
address is used to confirm the
military affiliation only and
is not needed to create the
account.
Once entered, a separate
email will be sent from the
NCAA.com website with a
unique link to create a free
2012 NCAA March Madness
LiveT account.
Once the military member’s
account is created, they will
be able go online with their
personal computer or electronic
device at www.ncaa.
com/marchmadness and login
to the NCAA March Madness
LiveT applications.
The offer is made possible
by the NCAA, CBS Sports and
Turner Broadcasting.
Attention bikers
The fitness center offers
bike rides every Thursday,
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. A
road bike or cyclo-cross bike
in good working condition is
needed. Appropriate cycling
attire and gear are required.
These rides are led by a
member of USA Cycling.
SPORTS - HEALTH - FITNESS
Dynamic stretching helps prevent sports injuries
By Robert Goetz
Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Public Affairs
Base school district plans health fair, seeks sponsors
The Randolph Field Independent School
District’s School Health Advisory Council hosts a
Kids’ Fun Run March 24 starting at 8 a.m. and
a Health and Wellness Fair, 9-11:30 a.m., at Airmen’s
Heritage Park and the Randolph Elementary
School campus.
Photo by Rich McFadden
Lauren Cain, Samuel Clemens High School senior, performs a static stretch at the Rambler Fitness
Center on Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Monday.
Now that spring is in the air, it’s time for
many people to shake their winter doldrums
and plunge into physical activities like running,
cycling and weight training or sports
such as tennis, golf and softball.
However, engaging in these activities with
too much gusto too early can have dire consequences
in the form of acute injuries, so fitness
experts urge a slow approach combined
with proper stretching exercises.
“The most common injuries in springtime
are sprains and strains in the ankle, knee or
shoulder,” Capt. Becky Azama, 359th Medical
Operations Squadron physical therapist,
said. “These injuries are typically the result
of people relaxing all winter. They want to go
out and take up where they left off without
proper preparation.”
Azama said many people reduce their
activity level in the winter because of bad
weather and busy holiday schedules.
“That will put them at risk for injury because
they don’t have the right strength and
flexibility for the activity they want to particiapte
in come spring,” she said.
Azama said people also run into problems
“when their conditioning program
doesn’t reflect the type of activity they
will engage in, like going from a 30-minute
workout on the treadmill three times a
week to playing two hours of football.
“My recommendation would be to take
into consideration the activity you are trying
to do and tailor your workout to that
specific activity,” she said. “Where cutting
is involved, such as in basketball or soccer,
you need to practice cutting.”
Azama recommends a dynamic stretching
routine – which involves stretching from head
to toe – to warm up before running or playing
a sport. Static stretching is reserved for
cooling down after a physical activity.
Dynamic stretching uses controlled leg
movements such as leg lifts and lunges to
improve range of motion, loosen muscles
and increase the heart rate. The movements
should be geared to the person’s
physical activity or sport.
“There’s been a great push for dynamic
stretching,” Azama said. “It’s better for
muscles to go through movement patterns.
You should be stretching afterward
as well, but it would not necessarily be
dynamic. You want the heart rate to come
back down, so you do static stretching,
getting the muscles to relax.”
She recommended the website www.
coreperformance.com as a resource for
dynamic warm-up routines, also known
as “movement prep.”
Marlin Richardson, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph
Rambler Fitness Center
fitness and sports manager, also stressed
the importance of the warm-up routine.
“Always warm up,” he said. “You’ll need
to stretch; flexibility is key in any sport or
exercise.”
Richardson offered other suggestions.
“When lifting weights, start lifting light
weights for a few weeks to strengthen your
The goal of this event is to promote a wide
variety of on- and off-base organizations that
showcase health and wellness, community
services and educational resources to our community.
There will be family- and child-friendly
activities and exhibits.
tendons and ligaments,” he said. “Monitor
your exertion level, using a heart-rate monitor,
and stay at the lower end of our level for
a few weeks before moving your level up.”
Richardson said it’s important not to increase
your level of exercise more than 10
percent a week. He also recommended training
with someone near your same fitness
level; cross training by engaging in activities
such as hiking, cycling, weight lifting, running
and walking; staying hydrated; and investing
in a good pair of training shoes.
Azama also said a workout program
should be varied, including cardiovascular
and strength training.
She urged people who are becoming more
physically active to “use common sense.”
“If you’re feeling pain, it’s not something
you should push past,” Azama said. “It’s the
body’s way of letting you know that something’s
not quite right. Soreness generally
goes away in a day or two. If the pain is sharp
and lingers, it should get attended to.”
Community members or organizations who
would like to participate as a sponsor, exhibitor
or volunteer for this event can contact Katie
Hodgkins at 357-2477 or email Hodgkins@
rfisd.net or Dan Castiglia at 609-668-2802 or
email dcrph@yahoo.com.