Download Tips To Prevent Baseball Injuries

Tips To Prevent Baseball Injuries
Each year, almost 500,000 baseball-related injuries are treated in hospitals, doctors' offices, clinics, ambulatory surgery centers and
hospital emergency rooms. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons offers the following tips to prevent baseball injuries:
Always take time to warm up and stretch. Research studies have shown that cold muscles are more prone to injury. Warm up with
jumping jacks, stationary cycling or running or walking in place for 3 to 5 minutes. Then slowly and gently stretch, holding each
stretch for 30 seconds.
Your equipment should fit properly and be worn correctly. Wear a batting helmet at the plate, when waiting a turn at bat, and when
running bases. Facial protection devices that are attached to batting helmets are available in some leagues. These devices can help
reduce the risk of a serious facial injury if you get hit by a ball. Follow the guidelines about the number of innings pitched as
specified by your baseball league (usually four to 10 innings a week) not by the number of teams played on, While there is no
concrete guideline for the number of pitches allowed, a reasonable approach is to count the number of pitches thrown and use 80 to
100 pitches as a maximum in a game, and 30 to 40 pitches in a practice.
Wear the appropriate mitt for your position. Catchers should always use a catcher's mitt. Catchers should always wear a helmet, face
mask, throat guard, long-model chest protector, protective supporter, and shin guards. Wear molded, cleated baseball shoes that fit
properly.
Inspect the playing field for holes, glass, and other debris. Be knowledgeable about first aid and be able to administer it for minor
injuries, such as facial cuts, bruises, or minor tendonitis, strains, or sprains. Be prepared for emergency situations and have a plan to
reach medical personnel to treat injuries such as concussions, dislocations, elbow contusions, wrist or finger sprains, and fractures.
A muscle sprain is an injury to a ligament, the tough, fibrous tissue that connects bones to other bone. Ligament injuries involve a
stretching or a tearing of this tissue. A muscle strain is an injury to either a muscle or a tendon, the tissue that connects muscles to
bones. Depending on the severity of the injury, a strain may be a simple overstretch of the muscle or tendon, or it can result in a
partial or complete tear.
Muscle Sprains
A muscle sprain typically occurs when people fall and land on an outstretched arm, slide into base, land on the side of their foot, or
twist a knee with the foot planted firmly on the ground. This results in an overstretch or tear of the ligament(s) supporting that joint.
Although sprains can occur in both the upper and lower parts of the body, the most common site is the ankle. Ankle sprains are one of
the most common injuries in professional and recreational sports and activities. Most ankle sprains happen when the foot abruptly
turns inward (inversion) or outward (eversion) as a person runs, turns, falls, or lands after a jump. One or more of the lateral
ligaments are injured. Wrist sprains are common when people fall and land on an outstretched hand.
Signs and Symptoms of Sprains
The usual signs and symptoms of a muscle sprain include pain, swelling, bruising, and the loss of functional ability (the ability to
move and use the joint). Sometimes people feel a pop or tear when the injury happens. However, these signs and symptoms can vary
in intensity, depending on the severity of the sprain.
Muscle Strains
A strain is caused by twisting or pulling a muscle or tendon. Strains can be acute or chronic. An acute strain is caused by trauma or an
injury such as a blow to the body; it can also be caused by improperly lifting heavy objects or overstressing the muscles. Chronic
strains are usually the result of overuse - prolonged, repetitive movement of the muscles and tendons.
Two common sites types of muscle strain are back strains and hamstring strains. Tendonitis (inflammation of a tendon) is another
common type of muscle strain. Contact sports such as soccer, football, hockey, boxing, and wrestling put people at risk for strains.
Gymnastics, tennis, rowing, golf, and other sports that require extensive gripping can increase the risk of hand and forearm strains.
Elbow strains sometimes occur in people who participate in racquet sports, throwing, and contact sports. The two most common
elbow strains are tennis elbow (lateral epicondylitis) and golfer's elbow (medial epicondylitis).
Signs and Symptoms of Strains
Typically, people with a strain experience pain, muscle spasm and muscle weakness. They can also have localized swelling,
cramping, or inflammation and, with a more severe strain, some loss of muscle function. Patients typically have pain in the injured
area and general weakness of the muscle when they attempt to move it. Severe strains that partially or completely tear the muscle or
tendon are often very painful and disabling. Immediate treatment tips for muscle sprains and strains
The treatment of muscle sprains and strains has two main goals. The first goal is to reduce swelling and pain; the second is to speed
recovery and rehabilitation. To reduce swelling it is recommended to follow use R.l.C.E. therapy (Rest, Ice, Compression and
Elevation) for the first 24 to 48 hours after the injury.
Method of Acute Injury Treatment Includes:
• Rest: Resting is important immediately after injury for two reasons. First, rest is vital to protect the injured muscle, tendon, ligament
or other tissue from further injury. Second, your body needs to rest so it has the energy it needs to heal itself most effectively.
• Ice: Use ice bags, cold packs or even a bag of frozen peas wrapped in a thin towel to provide cold to the injured area. Cold can
provide short-term pain relief. It also limits swelling by reducing blood flow to the injured area. Keep in mind, though, that you
should never leave ice on an injury for more than 15-20 minutes at a time. Longer exposure can damage your skin. The best rule is to
apply cold compresses for 15 minutes and then leave them off for at least 20 minutes. (Read The Proper Use of ICE).
• Compression: Compression limits swelling, which slows down healing. Some people notice pain relief from compression as well.
An easy way to compress the area of the injury is to wrap an ACE bandage over it. If you feel throbbing, or if the wrap just feels too
tight, remove the bandage and re-wrap the area so the bandage is a little looser.
• Elevation: Elevating an injury reduces swelling. It's most effective when the injured area is raised above the level of the heart. For
example, if you injure an ankle, try lying on your bed with your foot propped on one or two pillows.
After a day or two of R.l.C.E., many sprains, strains or other injuries will begin to heal. But if your pain or swelling does not
decrease after 48 hours, make an appointment to see your primary care physician or go to the emergency room, depending upon the
severity of your symptoms.
Once the healing process has begun, very light massage may improve the function of forming scar tissue, cut healing time and reduce
the possibility of injury recurrence. Gentle stretching can be begun once all swelling has subsided. Try to work the entire range of
motion of the injured joint or muscle, but be extremely careful not to force a stretch, or you risk re-injury to the area. Keep in mind
that a stretch should never cause pain. For proper stretching technique, review Flexibility Exercises.
Heat may be helpful once the injury moves out of the acute phase and swelling and bleeding has stopped. Moist heat will increase
blood supply to the damaged area and promote healing,
Finally, after the injury has healed, strengthening exercises can be begun. Cuts and abrasions are common injuries that occur during
outdoor recreation activities. Usually, such injuries are minor, and can be adequately treated at the scene by almost anybody with
even a rudimentary knowledge about First Aid. Serious cuts, however, can result in substantial blood loss, shock, temporary or
permanent loss of use of a body part or, in extreme cases, even death. It is important for those participating in outdoor recreation
activities to be able to identify the severity of cuts and abrasions, then take appropriate actions to field treat those injuries while
making decisions about the need for professional medical assistance.
In most cases, a cut or abrasion can be effectively treated by cleaning the wound with clean water and a sterile gauze pad or piece of
cloth, then sterilizing the injury with hydrogen peroxide before applying a bandage to prevent dirt or other foreign matter from
getting into the cut or abrasion. In the case of simple abrasions, treatment can be as easy as applying an appropriate quantity of
hydrocortizone ointment or cream, then covering to prevent contamination. If substantial blood loss is occurring, then it is mandatory
to stop the bleeding and get the victim to professional medical help as quickly as possible. Proper steps should be taken to prevent
shock and further injury (see Treating Bleeding Injuries for additional information about health and safety aspects of bleeding
injuries.)
Bleeding (or hemorrhaging) is the flow of blood from veins, arteries and capillaries, either internally or externally. Veins carry blood
to the heart, arteries carry blood away from the heart and capillaries are the very small channels that carry blood to all parts of the
body. Blood flowing from a capillary will be slowly oozing, as from a minor cut Flowing from a vein, blood will be a steady flow of
a red or dark red color. Arterial bleeding will spurt from a wound in a bright red color, and is definitely life-threatening - it must be
stopped quickly to prevent death to the victim, but it is also difficult to control, especially without proper medical training. It is
important to understand how blood flows, why it flows and what can be done to control blood loss without causing the onset of
gangrene, a condition that often results in amputation and/or death.
The body of an adult contains roughly 10-12 pints <5-6 quarts) of blood, and can lose about a pint without serious side-effects, as is
the case when donating blood. However, a loss of 2 pints will usually cause on the onset of shock, and losing 5-6 pints will usually
result in death. Depending upon the nature and severity of bleeding, prompt actions should be taken to stop the loss of blood and save
the life of a bleeding victim. In the case of an internal broken bone determining the presence and extent of bleeding may be very
difficult, but with open fractures it is quite evident Internal bleeding can be diagnosed by observing blood flow from the mouth, eyes,
ears, nose, rectum or other body openings. While severe, there is generally adequate time to calmly think and act with measures that
will control bleeding and reduce injury to the victim.
Cuts can often be effectively treated by cleaning and sterilizing, then covering with a Band Aid. However, due to the nature of
outdoor recreation activities, where strenuous activity is exerted, and especially where immersion in water is likely, the wound should
be covered with a gauze bandage or Telfa pad, then securely taped into place to prevent its premature removal. A good First Aid kit
should contain everything an outdoorsman needs for treating minor cuts and abrasions. Injuries of a more serious nature must be
treated immediately and effectively enough to stop or greatly reduce the loss of blood before transporting the victim to a hospital or
other medical facility. Direct pressure on the wound is often required stop the flow of blood, and a secure bandage that is tight
enough to prevent excess bleeding, while remaining loose enough not to completely cut off blood circulation, is necessary as a field
dressing. Butterfly bandages, if available, are very effective ways of closing cuts, but strips of cloth can be effective in a crunch when
other materials such as tape or butterflies are not available, as long as unsterilized material is kept away from the wound.
Heat exhaustion: First aid
Heat exhaustion is one of the heat-related syndromes, which range in severity from mild heat cramps to heat exhaustion to potentially
life-threatening heatstroke. Signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion often begin suddenly, sometimes after excessive exercise, heavy
perspiration and inadequate fluid intake. Signs and symptoms resemble those of shock and may include:
• Feeling faint
• Nausea
• Heavy sweating
• Ashen appearance
• Rapid, weak heartbeat
• Low blood pressure
• Cool, moist skin
• Low-grade fever
If you suspect heat exhaustion:
• Get the person out of the sun and into a shady or air-conditioned location.
• Lay the person down and elevate the legs and feet slightly.
• Loosen or remove the person's clothing.
• Have the person drink cool water, not iced, or a sports drink containing
electrolytes, if able to swallow
• Cool the person by spraying or sponging him or her with cool water and fanning.
• Monitor the person carefully. Heat exhaustion can quickly become heatstroke. If fever greater than 102 F, fainting, confusion or
seizures occur, dial 911 or call for emergency medical assistance.
When the temperature increases the risk of heat exhaustion increases. Prevention is always best.
* make sure each child drinks plenty of water. You cant always rely that parents will bring enough water so make sure that you have
extra available. Sports drinks are okay but takes your body time to metabolize, so water is best for a quick fluid replacement.
* Kids should have a fluid break after every 20-25 minutes of exercise especially if it is hot.
* encourage your team kids to wear light color clothing that reflect the sun. Darker clothing soaks in the sun and can make you
warmer than normal.
* Practice in the shade as much as possible
* Rotate your catchers, with all the gear catchers are even hotter and shouldn't play more than 2 innings in full gear at a time.
* Watch your team, know each player and be able to recognize when they are not acting right, start treatment before symptoms get
obvious.
* Carry spray bottles with you to games, besides it being fun to spray each other it also keeps the kids cool.
Most importantly, make sure that you are well hydrated and always carry water with you, not only does it set a good example but it
also prevents you from Heat injury, and allows you to take care of the players on your team.
Idea: Designate a parent as the safety officer on your team. Ask them to carry a cooler with water and ice, maybe spray bottles, your
team first aid kit etc. Maybe even rotate it between parents on their designated snack day, or ask your team mom to take this on. The
more people that you get looking out for the kids the safer they will be..
For more information go to: www.kidshealth.org/parent/fitness/safety/heat_exhaustion_heatstroke_sheet.html