Flexible Fitness: Are you ready to play spring sports?
Has your sport changed because of the COVID-19 pandemic? Are you trying to find a way to get ready for your spring sport in the face of limited exercise options?
Educators, coaches, fitness centers and community leaders are doing their best to accommodate the needs of our communities during this unprecedented time when participation in sports has been placed on the back burner for many. However, we expect the high demands of athletics will resume in the future and we need to be prepared. Studies show sports injuries make up 10-19% of all new injuries seen in the emergency room. In addition to new or traumatic injuries, it is also known that overuse injuries can occur with poor training or movement patterns, leading to frustration and time out of your sport.
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To help lessen the negative effects of an incomplete pre-season training, it is important to stay active and in great physical shape. There is overwhelming evidence regarding the importance of strength training as a component for athletic performance. Many research articles suggest muscular strength correlates with one’s fitness or athletic abilities. Simple bodyweight exercises, such as squats and lunges, allow for improvements in multi-joint mechanics, proper form and joint mobility. Push-ups and planks allow for focus on upper body strengthening and deep trunk stability, respectively. You can incorporate other compound exercises such as deadlifts, step-ups, and single-leg squats as other ways to improve your total body strengthening. For sport-specific training, explosive plyometrics training and stability exercises may also be important. This may include jumping, lateral bounding, sprinting, agility ladder, hopping over hurdles, and quick, explosive movements. You can also practice standing on one leg while shooting a basketball, passing a volleyball, or throwing the football with your sibling. Proper foundational strength training can be done in a variety of ways at home while keeping it fun, engaging, and tough!
In addition to considering the types of exercise to include in your weekly workout routine, it is also important to consider "how often" and "how much." While the vast majority of sports injuries are due to a combination of factors, we can attribute many to an overload of the musculoskeletal system. Often, athletes get into trouble with overload when jumping back into a sport too quickly or with minimal time for proper preparation.
Time is a very important component of adaptation. It is important to allow enough time and progression in your training to reach your goals before returning to your field of play. Along with allowing yourself enough time to ramp up properly before beginning your sport, it is also important to ensure you are using proper lifting and movement mechanics. If you have ever noticed a particular weakness or susceptibility while participating in your sport this might be a good time to get a referral to be assessed by a physical therapist. Your physical therapist will be able to help guide your movement patterns, prescribe proper progression, and recommend exercises that will be most effective for your sport
In a world inundated with information for getting stronger and being ready to return to sport, it is imperative that you are vigilant about the source and relevance of information as it pertains to you. Your training should be specific and relatable to your sport. It is important that you are utilizing proper mechanics to maintain your safety, as well as optimizing your performance. It may also include playing other sports, even leisurely, to challenge your coordination, strength, and cardiovascular endurance in different ways. To begin your strength training in a safe and graded manner, reach out to your physical therapist. Your physical therapist will be able to assist you in reaching your goals and getting you back to your sport as soon as the buzzer sounds.
Sara Aucoin PT, DPT, OCS, and Callan Driver PT, DPT, OCS, and Ching Tan, PT, DPT, are physical therapists at Spaulding Outpatient Center, Framingham.