Game On: Your Guide to Injury-Free Summer Sports

Summer league is here, and that means it is time to get outside and back on that field. It can be tempting to want to sprint to home base for that neighborhood softball league win, whether you’re joining a summer sports league or enjoying outdoor activities, One Medical wants to help you stay injury-free and have fun. We have some advice to make sure you don’t end up side-lined with a pulled hammie. We’ve seen it. Too many times. Let’s have a chat on how we can help you avoid being sidelined by a sports summer injury.

Warm-up. Gotta do it.

Picture this, you haven’t played sports in months. The weather gets nice, you feel excited, you've been watching all the soccer games on tv, so your inner World Cup champion is ready to come out and jump into a game. By the next morning, you realize your body is aching because you pulled a muscle. A systematic review from 2016 found that dynamic activity is recommended before sporting to reduce muscle injury, as did this review article. This one found improvements in explosive strength with a warm-up.

Here’s a body weight warm-up to try (5 minutes):

1. High knee marching in place 1 minute
2. Body Weight Squats- 1 minute
3. Alternating lunges- 1 minute
4. Front plank- 30 seconds x2
5. Alternating side lunges- 1 minute

If you need longer time to warm-up, listen to your body and take it.

Train Your Body for Sports.

Your body needs to practice for that big game. You wouldn’t run a marathon without training, right? Same goes for any sport, even if we have played it before. We need to prepare our bodies for new activities that we have not done in a while. Just like pros, the best way to remain injury free and performance sharp is to train for your sport. Don’t know where to start? Start general!

Here’s a full body resistance workout to try, start with light weight (5-10lbs) (10-15 minutes):

1. Squats- 3 sets to fatigue
2. Overhead press- 3 sets to fatigue
3. Reverse lunges- 3 sets to fatigue each side
4. Front plank- 3 sets to fatigue
5. Push-ups (on knees to modify)- 3 sets to fatigue

Remember, listen to your body. Some muscle soreness is normal after exercise. Sharp pain is not normal, if you experience that, stop what you’re doing. If it hurts, don’t push through it, rest and recover.

Summer sports should be fun, not painful. Take a few minutes to warm up, build your strength gradually, and listen to your body. Your future self will thank you when you’re still playing sports pain-free at the end of summer. Remember, the best workout is the one you can do consistently without getting hurt.

Need Guidance?

If you have pain stopping you from doing any of the above, make an appointment with one of our expert primary care providers (PCP). They can guide you through your options to get you back where you want to be. If you want a more specific-sport strengthening routine, ask for a referral to physical therapy. Live in Northern California? Go to Motion! Summertime should be fun and active, don’t get sidelined by an injury. Prevent it!