Getting Back in the Game: 3 Tips to Prevent Spring Sports Injuries

At 360 Orthopedics in Sarasota, Venice, and Lakewood Ranch, Florida, we’re ready for the influx of sports injuries we see each spring. Let’s face it, when the weather warms up, it’s a call to action to get outside. 

The transition, however, from the cool months into spring can be a surprising physical challenge that may lead to innocent and preventable injuries. Today, we’ll look at the reasons why spring sports injuries happen, as well as offer up three tips to help you avoid time on the sidelines. 

Reasons why sports injuries peak in the spring

When you’re indoors, your activities and activity levels change. Being less active means you lose ground over where you ended the previous season. 

Even if you’ve worked out over the winter, unless your routines are carefully planned, you may lose tone in sports-specific muscles, such as your arms and shoulders, in activities like serving on the tennis courts or throwing a baseball. 

The physical changes in location also present challenges. Instead of the regularity of playing surfaces indoors, you’re now on grassy pitches or paved surfaces. Your body needs time to adjust. 

The most common spring sports injuries

Knowing your enemy is always helpful at the prevention stage. Consider these common injuries and the strategies you can use to avoid them. 

• Ankle sprains: the right footwear for your sport provides the support you need to resist missteps and twists, and don’t forget to check last year’s shoes and replace them if needed
• Back pain: warm-up stretches and proper technique help handle loads on your spine 
• Concussions: wear helmets if your sport requires, and choose the right footwear to avoid falling
• Knee injuries: strength training and pre-activity stretching keep your knees ready 
• Shoulder strains: ease into overhead arm movements with stretches and concentrate on both flexibility and strength training for the arms and shoulders

Research the risks that most frequently affect your sport and prepare for those. Remember to take breaks, as repeated motion can cause injuries without adequate recovery time. 

3 tips to prevent spring sports injuries

Regardless of your game or participation level, here are three tips to guide your transition onto the outdoor fields. 

1. Ease into it

If you’ve had a sedentary winter, get outside and enjoy low-impact aerobic exercise, such as biking, swimming, or walking. Thirty minutes a day, five times a week, prepares your body for increased activity. 

When you start practice or games, recognize that you need to warm up for the season and for the session. Don’t aim for 100% performance on day one. 

1. Sport-specific practice

If you’re not golfing year-round, then your body undergoes a series of movements that haven’t been tested since your last round. Hit the driving range (or perhaps the gym for other sports) to practice the form and motion necessary.

1. Don’t delay treatment

The onset of “good” aches usually takes time, the night or the next day after a game or workout. These ramp up slowly, respond well to rest, and fade in short order.  

Minor aches and pains are part of the process of practice and participation. Sports injuries usually start with a recognizable event, even if pain doesn’t start immediately. Seek treatment when pain begins. 

Contact 360 Orthopedics at our nearest location when you know or suspect a sports injury has occurred. The sooner you seek treatment, the sooner you’ll be back on the field. Call 941-360-2233 to book with any of our offices as needed.