How to Stay Healthy and Perform at Your Best This Season
Spring has certainly sprung, which means you spring athletes are more than halfway through your respective seasons. That also means some of you are experiencing some of the nicks, aches, and pains that come with playing overhead sports like baseball, softball, and cricket. Sore shoulders, backs, elbows, you know… the “normal” stuff. What if I told you there was a way to help minimize those “normal” aches and pains you feel every spring and/or summer with more games and practices? Don't get me wrong, injury prevention is not a real thing. I prefer the term injury mitigation. So what do you need to do to help mitigate injury, give yourself the best chance to stay healthy all year, and get rid of those annoying aches and pains? It's fairly simple:
1. Train! Yes, Even In-Season!
Many athletes make the mistake of stopping strength and conditioning work during the season. But maintaining a reduced but focused training schedule is crucial for preserving strength, power, and injury resilience.
- Lift 1–2 times per week: Focus on reducing volume compared to what you were doing in the offseason.
- Include mobility in your warm-up: Perform a thorough warm-up that addresses range of motion limitations.
- Short and efficient sessions: A 30–40 minute workout can be enough if intensity is kept moderate-to-high.
- Sprint: Get exposure to top-end sprint speed at least 3x per week.
2. Prioritize Recovery: Sleep, Nutrition, and Hydration
The boring stuff is almost always the answer. Training and games break the body down and recovery builds it back up stronger.
Nutrition:
- EAT BREAKFAST!!
- Prioritize post-game nutrition with a carb + protein combo.
- Eat enough protein: .75-1g of protein per pound of body weight.
Sleep:
- 7–9 hours per night is ideal.
- Consistent sleep times help regulate hormones.
- Limit screen time before bed.
Hydration:
- Drink water throughout the day.
- Roughly 1oz of water per lb of body weight. Electrolyte drinks can help during long, hot days.
3. Manage Workload and Avoid Overuse
One of the biggest risks during the spring season is the accumulation of too much workload.
- Track throws and innings and schedule rest days.
- Communicate with coaches about soreness, fatigue, or pain early.
4. Be Proactive, Not Reactive
Don't wait for those little aches and pains to become a real issue before addressing them.
- Keep a readiness journal to track how you’re feeling physically, emotionally, and mentally.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you’re experiencing an issue you don’t know how to fix.
Peak performance doesn’t come just from training harder and playing harder. By continuing to train in-season, prioritizing sleep, eating and hydrating well, maintaining mobility, and managing workload, you can reduce injury risk and perform at your highest level all spring long.
Good Luck!
Brian Hunter - Owner/Founder Hex Physical Therapy and Performance
@Hex_PTP on IG
[email protected]