Hydration

Your muscles are 76% water.  Tendons and ligaments are 70% water.  Being properly hydrated is a big advantage when it comes to injury prevention.  

However, hydration isn’t as simple as “drink more water.”  No doubt you’ve tried this before and just spent the day in the bathroom.  Think of hydration more as cellular hydration (like the cells in your muscles and tendons).  

Your cells need the ability to uptake the water we drink, and that is why electrolytes are important.  Electrolytes are minerals that carry an electric charge and balance fluids in the body (think sodium, potassium and magnesium just to name a few).  

There are lots of electrolyte drinks on the market, and if you go that direction, avoid the options with sugar. We recommend LMNT (drinklmnt.com). Alternatively, you can DIY electrolytes with a big pinch of sea salt or Himalayan salt (avoid Morton table salt that has been chemically treated to strip out other minerals) and a squeeze of lemon or lime. Add this to 12-20oz of water.   

Here is a formula to make sure you are properly hydrated: 

Take your body weight and divide it by 2.  This is the number of ounces of water you should intake daily with half containing some electrolytes.

For example, a 140-pound person should drink 70oz of water, 35oz of which contains electrolytes.

Have a big workout or football game?  Double the salt and drink 30oz before you perform.  This increases blood volume, makes sure your soft tissues are hydrated and gives you a better chance of moving forces through your body without injury. 

Don’t be afraid of salt, it’s an essential mineral needed to balance fluids and keep muscles and nerves firing.  If you have functioning kidneys, you’ll pee out anything you don’t need. 

If you have been chronically dehydrated, it takes about 2 weeks for your body to figure out how to properly use the water you're drinking.  Stay consistent, you will notice a difference.