Tips for Spring Sports Injury Prevention


spring sportsMany professional athletes spend weeks in spring training. However, if you are a part of a recreational team, your season usually starts on game day. The pain that comes without proper training can quickly take the fun out of your spring sports, putting you back in the house for hibernation. However, we have a few tips to help keep your body in motion and out on the field, or track … or whatever you choose.

First and foremost, pre-activity warmups and stretching are vital to prepare the body to increase activity and intensity. Flexibility is a key component of every sport and skipping over this step can drastically increase your chance of injury.

Second, in between games be sure you are targeting your exercises. For example, if you are a baseball catcher, chances are you are throwing several times during each game. This will increase your risk for shoulder/rotator cuff injury. By targeting exercises that focus on shoulder mobility and strength, your shoulder will be more prepared to make throws back to the pitcher over and over again.

Third, it is important to wear the appropriate equipment and remember that shoes always matter (unless you’re a swimmer of course!). If your sport of choice requires protective equipment such as a helmet for cycling, make sure you are wearing this equipment at all times. If an injury should occur that could have been prevented by protective equipment that you were not wearing, there is really nobody to blame but yourself. As for shoes, sports that involve a lot of running put extreme stress on your feet in a short amount of time. Take the time to select the right shoe for your particular foot. It is recommended that you go to a specialty store and get fitted. The store associates are trained to properly fit most types of feet to ensure that you are always putting your best foot forward.

Finally, nutrition is always key in every sport or physical activity you choose to participate in. Be sure you are using nutrition to replenish your energy and never skip a meal. If your body is hungry, whether you feel it or not, it will begin to act sluggish and this can increase your chance for injury. That being said, try not to eat large meals right before game time. Instead, choose a healthy snack such as a banana or something else easy to digest about two hours prior to your activity.

Remember, enjoying the springtime sunshine and playing sports should be fun. It’s our recommendation that you be a good sport and follow these tips to prevent an injury.

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