Inspired into Action: Summer Sport Surge

Summer 2024 has been huge for sport – Wimbledon, Euro 2024 and now the Paris 2024 Olympic Games – inspiring almost one in four (24%) Brits to take up new activities, according to new research from Bupa.

• 2.8 million Brits have given up sport altogether after a sporting injury
• The fear of re-injury puts people off taking part in sport (18%) or stops them enjoying it (16%)
• A fifth of those who have been injured (20%) say it has negatively impacted their work while 17% say their mental health suffered
• 400m sprinter and Olympian, Derek Redmond, shares his experience with sports injuries

The study of 2,000 people by Bupa Health Services, found that almost 30% take up new sports knowing they are good for their physical and mental health. Just under 30% say they enjoy exercising on their own, while 17% prefer to be part of a team.

Emily Pike, physiotherapist at Bupa Health Services, said: “It’s brilliant to see so many people inspired to get active. We regularly see an increase in people out running following the London Marathon and it’s the same with the Euros and Olympics, with people taking up a new hobby after being inspired. The benefit of exercise is so well documented and the impacts on physical and mental health are uncountable.”

Yet, 2.84 million Brits have been injured playing sport and as a result have given up sport altogether.

Sports injuries have a big impact on people’s lives with them affecting careers (20%), their physical health (30%), mental health (18%) and their social lives (15%).

Sleep quality (20%), financial health (10%) and mobility (25%) are all other areas of people’s lives which are affected by sports injuries, showing what a vast impact, they have.

Worries about injury is one of the key reasons people don’t take up sport or don’t resume it after recovery. 18% of Brits say the fear of re-injury puts them off taking part in sport and 16% say the fear of re-injury stops them enjoying sport.

Derek Redmond, 400m sprinter and Olympian said: “Pulling my hamstring in the 1992 Olympic Games was devastating and really affected my mental health. As an athlete, you spend so long working up to the Olympic Games, so getting injured in the semi-final was a huge blow, especially as I didn’t make it to the start line at previous Games. I think everyone in the stadium saw how devastated I was and looking back, the standing ovation and my dad supporting me was a huge moment which will stay with me forever.

“An injury can be a huge setback and when I was told I’d never race again, I was angry for two years. I then thought ‘there are worse things than pulling a muscle in a race’ and decided to get on with my life. I want people to remember that an injury, while it may seem big at the time, isn’t something that should take up their whole lives. There is so much treatment and support available and I’d really encourage everyone to make sure they access it to get active again.”

Emily Pike continues: “There are many ways to reduce your risk of an injury such as: always warming up properly and cooling down. Making sure you are incorporating strengthening activities into your daily routine, particularly areas most used in the sport you are doing. It’s also really important you’re listening to your body, if you’re feeling tired for example, have a rest day, which is essential to helping your body recover. Exercising on tired muscles or over exercising increases your risk of injury.

“If you do get injured it’s important to seek help as soon as possible, as putting it can make the injury worse. A doctor or a physiotherapist can support with treatment and refer you if it’s more serious, and home remedies can reduce swelling, pain and help recovery.

“The POLICE method is a great way to help with an injury when it first occurs and while you’re waiting to see a physiotherapist:

P – Protect it from further damage. You may need to rest after the injury and consider using some form of support or a splint.

OL – Optimal loading, start to put weight on your injury and build up your range of mobility.

I – Ice, place a cold compress such as ice or frozen peas, wrapped in a towel onto the injury.

C – Compress the injured using a bandage to help reduce swelling.

E – Elevate the injury.”

The research for Bupa was carried out online by Opinion Matters throughout 10.07.2024 – 12.07.2024 amongst a panel resulting in 2,000 UK Adults (16+) responding. All research conducted adheres to the MRS Codes of Conduct (2010) in the UK and ICC/ESOMAR World Research Guidelines. Opinion Matters is registered with the Information Commissioner’s Office and is fully compliant with the Data Protection Act (1998).