There doesn’t seem to be the same buzz around the Olympics in Rio as there was for the London games four years ago. The fact it’s not being held in Britain, for a start, means we’re unlikely to see the same rush of medals as we did four years ago.
That Saturday night – Super Saturday – when Mo Farah, Jess Ennis and Greg Rutherford each stormed to gold in the Olympic stadium was one of the greatest nights in British sport: the entire fortnight, along with the subsequent Paralympics, were nothing short of incredible, and inspired thousands of people, of all ages, to take up sport for the first time.
It’s easy to see why Brazil currently feels like a bit of a comedown: global political unrest, protests in Brazil about the cost of running the games, scare stories about the Zika virus, more scare stories about the cleanliness of the major water channels, plus the unfriendly (to Britain) time zone that means a lot of the action will be taking place in the middle of the night for anyone in the BST zone, and it’s easy to see why excitement levels aren’t exactly sky-high just yet.
However, we can all but guarantee that will disappear once the events start and the Olympic magic takes hold. The beauty of the Olympics is that everything is utterly enthralling – the major box office events such as the men’s 100m final will always grab the attention, but it’s also amazing to get sucked into a sport that you had no idea was so much fun to watch.
Example? Peter Wilson winning the men’s double trap shooting gold was gripping, nerve-wrenching entertainment.
Of course, if the Olympics does achieve one of its stated aims, and inspires more people to take up a new sport, then it is important to consider the impact that putting your body through a whole new set of movements and exertions can have.
Warm up and warm down carefully – never dive straight in to doing activity. This is true for everybody: seasoned sports people and complete novices. Be mindful of how your body reacts in the subsequent days – if muscle soreness continues for more than 24 hours then it will probably be worth seeking help to avoid doing further damage the next time you play or compete. Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) can mask injuries and cause significant problems down the line.
You can see the full Rio Olympic schedule here and, as always, if you are feeling energetic but worried about any injuries you may have, we are here to help. You can speak free of charge to one of our experts on the phone, so give us a call and we’ll be able to help.