Baseball

Most Common Injuries

Baseball is considered America's national pastime and has recently developed a large international following. In 1981, there were 4.5 million amateur baseball players in the United States, but baseball skills are also required in softball, which is the largest team sport in the country, with 40 million league players. Players of all ages enjoy the sport, and 52% of the particcipants are under 12 years of age. Many youngsters begin playing at age 6 or 7 and dream of playing professional baseball as adults.

Baseball is a noncontact sport with minimal protective gear. Therefore it is commonly considered a safe sport. In fact, the relative incidence of injury in baseball is last among common competitive sports with 1.6 injuries per 1000 practices/games. Because of the large number of participants, however baseball ranks second only to football in total number of injuries and fatalities. Getting to know your body's ability can enable you to prepare properly and get the most out out of every mile while avoiding these all to common injuries:

1. Pulled muscle. (Known as strains, these injuries can limit or end participation and may be caused by poor warm-up or fatique.)
2. Sprains and/or strains of the foot. (Caused by training techniques and/or footwear.)
3. Sprained knees and anlkes. (Caused by poor running surfaces)
4. Hip and back pain. (Causes are most often complicated and serious.)

More About Injuries

Treatment

The following first aid should be used for almost all athletic injuries: pulled muscles, sprained liagaments or broken bones. These guidelines should NOT be used instead of visting a doctor.

R.I.C.E.
• Rest- Stop using the injured bosy part the minute it is hurt. Use a sling, crutches or splint.
• Ice- The more blood that collects at the injury site the longer it will take to heal. Keep ice on for 20 minutes per half hour for the first 24 to 72 hours. Place a damp towel or dressing between the ice and skin.
• Compression- Wrap an elastic bandage firmly over the ice and around the injured body part. If cramping or throbbing occurs, unwrap at once.
• Elevation- Raise the injured part above your heart.

The R.I.C.E. program should be used for the first 24 to 72 hours after injury.

When you should see a doctor?

You know your body best. If intuition tells you that something is wrong, see your doctor. If you are in doubt, see your doctor.

1. Pain. Pain is natures way of saying don't do something. When it speaks, listen.
2. All joint injuries. All injuries to a joint or its ligaments should be examined by a physician. If they are not treated quickly, these injuries can become more serious.
3. Loss of function. If you cannot move an arm, leg, or any part of either, then you have lost function. Pain and/or deformity may be present.
4. Pain that lasts for more than two weeks. Persistent pain indicates something serious. If the degree of pain is constant or slightly improved, see your doctor.

Prevention

Preventive measures to reduce sliding injuries in baseball include the illegalization of sliding, the use of base running helmets, instruction on proper sliding technique, improved muscloskeletal conditioning and the use of recessed bases or break-away bases. Aspects of proper sliding technique include keeping the lead foot or the hand elevated, starting the slide at the correct distance, maximizing body surface contact area and avoid last minute hesitations. Preventive measures of catching inuries include hand padding, improved mit design, protective equipment and instruction on proper catching. Protective equipment is essential to avoid collision injury from a ball, bat, or base runner. Prevention of field injuries include stretching exercises, good communication between players to avoid player collisions, and warning tracks around the outfield fence to avoid wall collisions. Regular stretching may also reduce injuries.

Keys to Proper Warm-up

1. Before stretching do a few light exercises to increase the blood flow within muscles.
2. Stretch-Examples of Stretching