As April comes to a close, we are in the thick of baseball, softball, and t-ball season. Kids and adults alike are headed to their local diamond in hopes of hitting a home run – or at least making it on base. While time at the ballpark can be fun for the whole family, injuries do happen.

In honor of Youth Sports Safety Month, we want to help you prevent baseball’s most common injuries. The first step is knowing what they are and how you can avoid them.

Baseball’s Most Common Injuries

Sprains and strains

With all the running, swinging, and throwing involved in baseball, muscle and joint sprains and strains are common. In order to prevent this, be careful not to over-extend yourself and be aware of how hard you’re working your ankles, knees, wrists, and shoulders.

Tears ­

More severe than a sprain or strain is a tear. Common ligaments one might tear are the MCL, ACL, UCL and rotator cuffs. Rotator cuff injuries are common with pitchers who make repetitive motions. Maintaining control of your extremities and resting them when they feel strained or sore will help to prevent these types of injuries.

Fractures ­

Muscles and ligaments aren’t the only body parts that might be injured. Bones are at risk to break as well. Fractures can occur when players trip, fall or slide into the ground or other players. While most people don’t intend to trip or fall, paying attention to where you are going is crucial to staying upright.

Scrapes and bruises

Baseball’s most common injuries are every day scrapes and bruises. Diving for the ball and sliding into home plate can cause broken skin or big bruises that may show up later. Help to prevent scrapes by only diving and sliding on areas covered with clothing.

Dehydration

While not technically an injury, dehydration can be a factor in other injuries by causing dizziness, fatigue and increased body temperature or heart rate. The best way to avoid dehydration and its symptoms is to drink plenty of water and/or electrolyte-rich fluids to replenish the nutrients you sweat out.

If you or your child have suffered from one of baseball’s most common injuries, make an appointment or walk in to Campbell Clinic today. Check our locations and hours to see which clinics are open late.