With the arrival of spring comes the excitement of baseball season. Whether you're a high-level player or just starting, preparing your body for the demands of throwing is essential. Here are some valuable tips to keep you healthy and injury-free throughout the season.
1. Warm Up Properly
Before stepping onto the field, devote time to warming up your body. Stretching helps improve flexibility and increase blood flow to your muscles. Gradually increasing your heart rate and body temperature prepares your muscles for the demands of throwing, reducing the risk of strains and tears.
2. Focus on Strength and Conditioning
Building strength in the muscles that support your throwing motion is crucial for injury prevention. Incorporate exercises targeting your shoulders, rotator cuff, and core muscles. Strengthening these areas enhances stability and improves your ability to generate power during throws, reducing the strain on your arm.
3. Maintain Proper Mechanics
Optimal throwing mechanics are essential for minimizing stress on your arm and maximizing performance. Work with a coach or trainer to use the correct form and technique. Pay attention to your body's alignment throughout the throwing motion, focusing on maintaining a smooth and fluid movement pattern. Avoid overexerting your arm using excessive force or incorrect angles, which can lead to overuse injuries. Check out this infographic on proper throwing mechanics.
4. Implement Recovery Strategies
Proper recovery is just as important as training to prevent injuries. Incorporate rest days into your schedule to allow your body time to recover and repair. Techniques like foam rolling, stretching, and chiropractic treatment reduce muscle tension and improve flexibility. Additionally, prioritize adequate hydration and nutrition to support your body's recovery process.
5. Listen to Your Body
One of the most important aspects of injury prevention is paying attention to your body's signals. If you experience any pain, discomfort, or fatigue during or after throwing, it's essential to address it promptly. Ignoring symptoms can lead to more severe injuries and prolonged recovery times.
By incorporating these tips into your baseball training routine, you can reduce the risk of throwing-related injuries and enjoy a successful and fulfilling season on the field. If you have any concerns or questions about injury prevention strategies, don't hesitate to give our office a call. Play ball, stay safe, and have fun!
Stretching is Not Enough for Your Plantar Fasciitis
A long term study followed patients with a diagnosis of plantar fasciitis which showed that 44% of people had foot pain over 15 years later after their original diagnosis was made. A primary reason for this finding was that orthotics, corticosteroid injections, and short-term stretching had little effect foot pain long term. They only provided mild to moderate short term pain relief.
People that suffer from plantar fasciitis consistently have weak muscles in the foot and calf that are the primary reason the tendons of the plantar fascia become stretched and tight (and then painful!). New research shows that a foot and calf strengthening program far out performs the traditional methods of stretching for plantar fasciitis.
Hansen L, Krogh T. Ellingson T, et al. Long-term prognosis of plantar fasciitis. A 5- to 15-year follow-up study of 174 patients with ultrasound examination. Orthop J Sportsmed 2018; 6:1-9.
Song J, Gorelik S, Husang D, Morgan T. Effects of eccentric exercises on foot structure, balance, and dynamic plantar loading. Gait Study Center, Temple University School of Podiatric Medicine. 2019, in press.
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