Flexible Spending Account tips for exercise

Fall is best known for its gorgeous weather and dazzling foliage, but if you ask a vast majority of Americans, the reason they look forward to this time of year is the return of a very exciting national pastime – football!

While you or your loved ones may not be suiting up for the NFL anytime soon, your kids may be participating in Pop Warner and high school leagues, or you may decide to try your hand in a community flag football league. However, football is a strenuous sport, so if you have a Flexible Spending Account (FSA), there are many protective and rehabilitative products that you can purchase with your benefit that can safeguard you or your kids’ health throughout the coming season.

Here are a few useful options to keep in mind:

Athletic Bandages

Rolling an ankle or spraining a wrist can take you out of action for weeks at a time, which is why many football players rely on the strength and stability that athletic bandages provide. Not only can they immobilize specific areas to get you back into the game, but they are also handy in preventing common strains and pulls from occurring in the first place. If you’re prone to these types of injuries, preparing beforehand with an elastic bandage is a smart choice!

Check out: ACE 2” Elastic Bandage with Hook Closure

Kinesiology Tape

A muscle pull or strain is difficult to contend with on the football field, especially in periods of contact and heavy activity. One way to ensure an extra layer of protection on the football field is with kinesiology tape. This tape will provide support and stability to joints and muscles without affecting your range of motion, which can ensure that you can run, cut and throw with the best of them.

Check out: KT TAPE PRO, Pre-cut, 20 Strip, Synthetic, Jet Black

Hot/Cold Packs

Everything from a bump and bruise from a hard hit to a full-blown strain you encounter on the football field can be treated with hot and cold therapy. Hot and cold packs are FSA eligible and provide innumerable benefits that can help you recover quickly from injury. Heat therapy is used to dilate blood vessels and increase circulation to the affected area to speed the healing process, while cold therapy is used to lessen pain and alleviate inflammation. Using them in conjunction with one another is a technique called contrast therapy, a tried and true method that can help you solve the vast majority of issues you’ll encounter on the gridiron.

Check out: Thermal-Aid Large Sectional

Fall is one of the best times of year to get active, and FSAstore.com can help you avoid injury and get back in the action if you end up sidelined! Our huge selection of FSA eligible products can help you maximize the potential of your employee benefit and support the continued good health and wellness of you and your entire family!