Quick (and easy!) Stretches To Get You Ready For Your Softball Season Debut

Hardball? Softball? Fastpitch? Slo-Pitch? Whatever form of ball you play, the season is right around the corner! From the ultra competitive cleanup hitter, to the beer league hero, shaking off a winter worth of rust will take some time.

Any seasoned player knows, softball (or any ball, for that matter) is a great physical activity. Whether in an organized league, or a pickup game on a lazy Sunday afternoon, the diamonds in your area will soon be occupied daily from now until the end of the summer.

Even though softball/baseball is a non-contact sport (especially if your league has a 3rd base/home plate commit line and does not permit contact at home plate), there is still a risk for injury. Common injuries can include rotator cuff (shoulder) and elbow problems (related to throwing, of course) and knee and ankle problems (related to running and sliding, of course). Scrapes and bruises from ill-timed (or in my case, poorly executed) slides are also common.

While ankle injuries are the the most common, arm (shoulder/elbow) strains occur frequently too. Given the numerous variables that contribute to a shoulder injury (i.e. age, position played, throwing biomechanics, previous injury history), a good stretching routine before the game can help get you ready.

Spend a few minutes before the game stretching. Depending on what position you play, try and build a routine catered to your needs. In my case, being a catcher, I spend extra time stretching my legs (in particular, my hips), to get me ready.

My team’s first game is this Monday night, and I can’t wait to get the season started. BATTER UP!