| If you play any sport including softball, you can | | | | ACL Injury – ACL stands for anterior cruciate |
| expect yourself to get injured at one point or | | | | ligament. It’s the ligament that connects your |
| another. It’s a part of life of any athlete, | | | | thigh bone to your tibia located in your shin. |
| especially those playing at an elite level. | | | | Women are more prone to this kind of condition. |
| One major reason for this is that playing any type of | | | | Although the chances of an ACL injury are highest in |
| sport subjects your body to a high amount of stress. | | | | contact sports, it can also happen to players of |
| Your joints are constantly in contact with each other, | | | | non-contact sports such as softball. |
| your muscles and ligaments repeatedly stretch and | | | | An ACL injury can happen when a person suddenly |
| contract. Injuries that result from these activities are | | | | twists the knee or suddenly changes direction. It |
| called overuse injuries. | | | | could result in a loud pop which is the actual sound of |
| Then there are also those injuries that are called | | | | the ligament tearing. The knee would, then, get |
| traumatic injuries. These can be caused by severe | | | | swollen soon after. |
| impact while playing the game. Traumatic injuries in | | | | Preventing These Injuries |
| softball can happen when you accidentally collide with | | | | What I shared with you are just 3 of the most |
| another player or when you get hit by a ball. | | | | common softball-related injuries. But while they are |
| Here’s a list of some of the most common | | | | common, there are things that you can do to protect |
| softball injuries and a short description of what they | | | | yourself from these. |
| are: | | | | For one, and I can’t emphasize this enough, |
| Tendinitis – this injury commonly affects the | | | | always warm up before and cool down after playing. |
| shoulders and knees of softball players. With | | | | Warming up your body primes you for the intense |
| tendinitis, the tendons on these parts of the body | | | | activity that you’re about to do on the field like |
| become inflamed. | | | | running, swinging the bat or throwing the ball. Cooling |
| This condition occurs when the joints are overused, | | | | down, meanwhile, returns your body to its pre-game |
| or aren’t given enough time to recover after a | | | | condition so it can begin its recovery. |
| workout. It can also happen when a player performs | | | | Aside from doing warm ups and cool downs, you |
| the wrong mechanics when running or throwing the | | | | must also give your body enough time to recover. |
| ball. | | | | Your body can only take too much stress in a day. |
| Ankle Sprains – since softball involves a good | | | | That’s why you should also give it at least a day |
| amount of running, players are also subject to the | | | | to recover. During the recovery period, just rest and |
| risk of having ankle sprains. When a player’s | | | | don’t train or play the game. |
| ankle is sprained, there could be a minor or complete | | | | Now that you know the most common injuries in |
| tear of the ligaments that support the ankle. | | | | softball, see to it that you do the precautions I |
| Ankle sprains in softball may be caused by poor | | | | shared with you so, that you would stay injury-free |
| balance, running on uneven portions of the field, and | | | | during the entire softball season. |
| even accidentally stepping on debris. | | | | |