Why You Should Avoid Contact Sports and Safer Alternatives to Consider
As someone who’s spent years both playing and studying sports, I’ve seen firsthand how quickly a moment of excitement can turn into a long-term setback. Just the other day, I came across a news snippet about the Elasto Painters—a basketball team where Caelan Tiongson put up an impressive 24 points and seven rebounds. But here’s the catch: they were missing key players Beau Belga, sidelined with vertigo, and Shaun Ildefonso, out with an ankle sprain. Now, if you ask me, that’s more than just a roster update—it’s a snapshot of why contact sports, as thrilling as they are, come with risks that we often underestimate. I’ve had my share of bumps and bruises over the years, and it’s made me rethink what “staying active” really means. Let’s dive into why stepping away from high-impact games might be one of the smartest moves you can make for your long-term health, and explore some alternatives that keep you moving without the constant threat of injury.
Think about it: vertigo and ankle sprains might sound like minor issues, but they’re often the tip of the iceberg. In Belga’s case, vertigo can stem from head trauma or inner ear damage—common in sports where collisions are frequent. I remember a friend who played rugby for years; he ended up with recurring dizziness that forced him to quit altogether. And ankle sprains? They’re among the top injuries in basketball, with studies showing they account for roughly 15-20% of all sports-related injuries. Over time, repeated sprains can lead to chronic instability or even arthritis. What gets me is how preventable many of these issues are. For instance, in that Elasto Painters game, if the team had access to better preventive measures—like proprioceptive training or customized braces—maybe Ildefonso wouldn’t have been watching from the sidelines. But let’s be real: no amount of gear can fully eliminate the risks in contact sports. The force involved in a typical basketball jump or football tackle can exert up to 6-8 times a person’s body weight on joints. That’s like dropping a small car on your ankles repeatedly! From my perspective, it’s not worth the glory if it means sacrificing your ability to walk pain-free in your 40s.
So, what’s the alternative? I’ve shifted toward low-impact activities over the past few years, and honestly, it’s been a game-changer. Take swimming, for example—it’s a full-body workout that burns around 400-500 calories per hour without jarring your joints. Or consider yoga, which not only builds flexibility but also improves balance, reducing the risk of falls that lead to sprains like Ildefonso’s. I’ve personally gotten into trail hiking; it’s less about competition and more about endurance, and the scenery doesn’t hurt either. If you miss the team dynamic, sports like tennis or badminton offer that competitive rush with far lower injury rates—statistically, they see about 5-10 injuries per 1,000 hours of play, compared to basketball’s 15-20. And for those who thrive on intensity, high-intensity interval training (HIIT) with bodyweight exercises can deliver similar adrenaline without the uncontrolled collisions. I’ve found that mixing these activities keeps things fresh; plus, you’re not just avoiding harm—you’re building a more resilient body. It’s like swapping out a risky investment for a diversified portfolio that pays off in the long run.
At the end of the day, the choice is yours, but I’ll leave you with this: watching athletes like Belga and Ildefonso sit out reminds me that our bodies aren’t built to endure endless punishment. Sure, contact sports teach discipline and teamwork, but they shouldn’t come at the cost of your health. I’ve learned to prioritize sustainability over short-term thrills, and it’s made all the difference. Whether you’re a weekend warrior or a seasoned pro, consider giving safer alternatives a shot—you might just find they’re more rewarding than you’d ever imagined. After all, staying in the game for life is the real win.
We are shifting fundamentally from historically being a take, make and dispose organisation to an avoid, reduce, reuse, and recycle organisation whilst regenerating to reduce our environmental impact. We see significant potential in this space for our operations and for our industry, not only to reduce waste and improve resource use efficiency, but to transform our view of the finite resources in our care.
Looking to the Future
By 2022, we will establish a pilot for circularity at our Goonoo feedlot that builds on our current initiatives in water, manure and local sourcing. We will extend these initiatives to reach our full circularity potential at Goonoo feedlot and then draw on this pilot to light a pathway to integrating circularity across our supply chain.
The quality of our product and ongoing health of our business is intrinsically linked to healthy and functioning ecosystems. We recognise our potential to play our part in reversing the decline in biodiversity, building soil health and protecting key ecosystems in our care. This theme extends on the core initiatives and practices already embedded in our business including our sustainable stocking strategy and our long-standing best practice Rangelands Management program, to a more a holistic approach to our landscape.
We are the custodians of a significant natural asset that extends across 6.4 million hectares in some of the most remote parts of Australia. Building a strong foundation of condition assessment will be fundamental to mapping out a successful pathway to improving the health of the landscape and to drive growth in the value of our Natural Capital.
Our Commitment
We will work with Accounting for Nature to develop a scientifically robust and certifiable framework to measure and report on the condition of natural capital, including biodiversity, across AACo’s assets by 2023. We will apply that framework to baseline priority assets by 2024.
Looking to the Future
By 2030 we will improve landscape and soil health by increasing the percentage of our estate achieving greater than 50% persistent groundcover with regional targets of:
– Savannah and Tropics – 90% of land achieving >50% cover
– Sub-tropics – 80% of land achieving >50% perennial cover
– Grasslands – 80% of land achieving >50% cover
– Desert country – 60% of land achieving >50% cover
