Baseball can be an exciting and rewarding activity, but playing it can place demands on your body. The unilateral nature of various actions in baseball can lead to unusual wear and tear on your body. Overuse injuries, particularly affecting the shoulder, elbow and knee, are common areas. Proper stretching can help you prevent these injuries, as well as improve your athletic performance and help to rehabilitate existing injuries. Players should stretch both before and after the game and within comfortable limits.
Roll-Over Stretch
Lie flat on your back with your arms outspread at your shoulders, forming a right angle to your body, and your knees bent. Let your knees fall to one side, with the bottom leg contacting the ground. Then roll your knees back in the other direction, letting your back and hips rotate with your knees.
Rotator Stretch
To help stretch your rotator muscles. Stand erect, with one hand behind the middle of your back, palm outward, and your elbow pointing out at your side. Reach in front of yourself with your other hand and take hold of your elbow, gently pulling it forward. Hold the stretch for 10 to 30 seconds, then reverse the position and stretch on the other side.
Pectoral Deltoid Stretch
A simple routine for stretching pectoral and deltoid muscles. Start with your hands clasped behind your back and slowly raise them behind you as high as possible. Hold the position for at least 30 seconds. Repeat 3x
Shoulder Shrugs and Arm Swings
Shoulder shrugs and swings are ways to warm up for throwing, catching and hitting. Rotate your shoulders in a circular, rolling motion, working both forward and backward. Perform giant arms swings, swinging in a windmill motion in a large circle that begins as high as you can reach over your head and descending down as far as you can reach at your side. (please give yourself ample room for this warm up to avoid injury to yourself or a fellow teammate!)
Lunges
These classic stretching exercises are designed to target the hamstring, Achilles' tendon and groin muscles. Extend one leg straight out behind you as far as it will go with the heel of your foot flat on the ground, while keeping the other knee in front of you, bent at a right angle to the ground. You should keep both feet pointed in the same direction, and keep your back leg perfectly straight. You should feel the stretching in your groin and thigh muscles. Hold the lunge for 30 seconds, then reverse the position. For side lunges, stretch one leg straight out to the side, keeping the other knee bent at a right angle. Repeat the lunge by stretching the other leg out to the side, with the opposing knee bent. Repeat 3x
Chair Back Stretch
You will need a chair for this ballet-influenced stretch, which targets your back, gluteus maximus, calves and shoulders. Put one foot up on a chair back, and pull your head toward your knee, holding the position for at least 30 seconds. Lower your leg and lift the other one to the chair back, repeating the process. Repeat 3x
Always stretch warmed up muscles before and after a game! And please remember if you injure yourself in game to use the RICE Method. R= REST, I= ICE, C= COMPRESS, and E= ELEVATE . Always ice after a fresh injury to help reduce the pain and inflammation. 10 minutes on 10 minutes off for 30 minutes.
And remember to book your appointment with your RMT for maintenance, and optimum performance!
Let's Play Ball!!!!
