Physical Therapy Helps Baseball Players Avoid Injury
Even as a non contact sport baseball can cause devastating injuries. Major league baseball games last around three hours. Pitchers throw the ball at alarming speeds. These repetitive throws cause a large amount of strain on their shoulder muscles, leading to an injury.
Muscles that undergo constant strenuous activity are prone to injury. Players need physical therapy to help prevent risk of injury during game season. Careers are destroyed swiftly on the baseball field due to accidents. This is how physical therapy can help baseball players avoid injury on the pitch.
Shoulder Injury
Pitchers who throw the ball at speeds of 150 km/h have a tough time on the field. The challenge is not throwing the ball once but doing it repeatedly. This puts an incredible amount of strain on the shoulders. Indications of injury are clear when the pitcher complains of swelling of muscles, snapping sounds made by the turning of joints, inflammation or redness in the shoulder region, and tenderness or pain in the shoulders when moved.
Physical therapy aims at preventing injury, facilitating speedy recovery, and strengthening muscles. The physiotherapist schedules a training regimen for the player. This includes muscle strengthening exercises, especially for the shoulders, mobility and agility training, the use of proper form while pitching, and modalities to facilitate healing. Kinesio tapes can also be applied to reduce swelling of the shoulder muscles and promote healing. Additionally, the physiotherapist can assist the player prepare his practice schedule to ensure he gives significant time for rest and recovery.
Leg Injury
A good base runner needs to work on his technique. Sliding improperly can result in ankle sprains. Muscle pulls are the most common form of leg injury in baseball. The knee is also susceptible to injury while running from base to base. Lactic acid accumulated in the knee joints because of fatigue, causes friction in the joints. This condition if left unattended can sooner or later result in permanent damage.
The physiotherapist will include stretching exercises in the training regimen to prevent muscle pulls in the game. Joint strengthening exercises help prevent injury to the knee. Relief can be provided by following the Rest Ice Compression and Elevation (RICE) procedures. Rest to allow the muscles to heal after practice, ice for pain control. Compression and elevation are a set of procedures to reduce swelling in the knee. Modalities such as heat and cold can be applied alternatively to reduce swelling. Electrical stimulation of the knee region can improve joint strength. Endurance training helps the knee regain mobility in case of stiffness. Kinesio taping can help drain lactic acid via the lymph system.
In home physical therapy, provides athletic therapy in Edmonton. Professional physiotherapists monitor the athlete’s physical condition and constantly improvise the training regimen. Injury specific rehabilitation programs, allow the athlete to regain their peak performance condition. Their services can be carried out in the patient’s home.
