16 May Tips to deal with baseball and softball injuries
The spring and summer provide lots of opportunities to get outside and play sports.
Unfortunately injuries can also be commonplace, but if you know some basic tips for prevention and rehabilitation the time spent on the sidelines can be limited.
Here are some common spring-summer sports injuries people deal with:
Baseball and softball
* Shoulder and elbow injuries are associated with these sports from players repeatedly throwing the ball, which can put a great deal of pressure on ligaments and muscles. Injuries such as mild tendonitis, to strains, tears or dislocations can occur. Take special care to strengthen and stretch the rotator cuff muscles.
* Ankle sprains can occur from sliding into bases or sudden changes in direction. To come back from an ankle injury it’s extremely important to ice the injury and also give it proper time to heal. Theraband stretches can help regain mobility and strengthen the ankle and other lower leg muscles.
* Pulled leg muscles – The nature of baseball and softball forces many players to have to make sudden sprints to a base or after a ball after being in relatively stationary positions for sometimes long durations.
The sudden need for speed causes many pulled hamstring, quadriceps and calf muscles. To help keep your muscles limber it’s important to stretch during the game, keep those muscles strong through weight training and do lots of running before and even after a game to stay toned.
* Hand injuries
It’s common for baseball and softball players to injure their fingers or hands in a variety of ways, such as getting hit by pitch, stepped on by a cleat, sliding into a base or colliding with a teammate or opposing player.
As with ankle sprains, ice and rest are often the best medicine.
For an obviously serious injury, or one that lingers for more than a few days, seek professional medical attention. Specialized training for a particular sport can help athletes get a leg up on the completion. Consult with a coach or certified trainer.
At Home Fitness consultant Aaron Dorksen’s blog deals with a variety of fitness topics, ranging from workout tips, motivational ideas and feature stories on how exercise impacts people’s lives. E-mail him with comments, questions or ideas for future blogs at aaron@athomefitness.com