Along with the warm temperatures and long daylight hours of summer comes the irresistible urge to play outside. Maybe that's why 30 to 40 million people in the US participate in organized softball leagues.
Though playing softball is a great way to get fresh air, spend time with friends, and impress co-workers with your athletic prowess, it's not quite the injury-free, non-contact sport many participants believe it to be. In fact, softball injuries lead to more emergency room visits in the US than injuries from any other sport.
This is not surprising, given that many summer softball players don't do a lot of pre-season training. "Pro baseball players spend six weeks in warm weather training to prepare for the start of the season," says Stephen Rice, MD, co-director of the New Jersey Sports Medicine Center. "A lot of adults go out once or twice before the season begins and expect to be ready to play."
Softball injuries can include:
Luckily, many of these injuries are preventable.
Take a cue from the pros and start preventing injuries before the season begins.
Stretching
The most important thing for softballers to work on is flexibility. Softball entails a lot of starting and stopping and bursts of motion. Good flexibility will save you from a lot of the strains and tears. Dr. Rice recommends following a comprehensive stretching program all year, paying plenty of attention to calves, hamstrings, quadriceps, trunk muscles, shoulders, and arms.
Strengthening
In the off-season, you can also work on developing muscle strength in both the upper and lower body. Focus especially on the shoulders, because "many adults have weakness in the smaller muscles of the shoulder and don't realize it," according to Dr. Rice. When you're throwing, this can lead to injury in the shoulder, elbow, and wrist. Dr. Rice recommends trying one-arm push-ups against a wall to strengthen shoulder muscles.
Cardiovascular Training
You should also do some biking, jogging , swimming , or some other aerobic exercise to build up a base level of aerobic fitness. Finally, Dr. Rice says, you should practice sprinting. Softball involves a great deal of standing still, but when a ball comes to the outfield or you're trying to steal a base, you'll need quick bursts of speed.
If you do a little off-season work, it should make your softball season easier and less injury-prone. Don't forget to warm up well before each practice and game.
Cheryl Reed, ATC, recommends the following warm-up routine:
Many softball injuries are throwing-related or sliding-related. Proper technique can save you from many of these. Work with a coach or an experienced player to make sure your technique is correct.
"Many players believe head-first sliding is faster, but it puts you at risk for many injuries," says Dr. Rice, an active softball player who always slides feet-first. Doing it correctly can get you to base quickly and help you avoid injury, so find someone to help you with your slide. Studies have shown that head first sliding into first base is definitely slower than simply running.
The same goes for throwing: You need to do it right. Your whole body should be used during a throw, from your legs, through your trunk, to your shoulder and down your arm. Improper technique can cause a lot of pain. And never throw too hard, too fast. Start by throwing short distances, softly.
There are plenty of simple steps you can take to make a softball game safer. Dr. Rice cites the following examples:
RESOURCES:
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
http://www.aaos.org
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
http://www.cdc.gov
Institute for Preventative Sports Medicine
http://www.ipsm.org
Last reviewed December 2008 by Robert Leach, MD
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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