Editor’s note: This article is part of the Health and Fitness page’s weekly series about sports injuries based on information from the physical therapists of Cyclone Sports Medicine. This week, Jim Nespor will talk about getting ready for summer softball.

With spring comes the resurgence of softball leagues, which means the physical therapists at Cyclone Sports Medicine will be seeing their fair share of softball-related injuries, said Jim Nespor, physical therapist at Cyclone Sports Medicine.

“Scores of people are just about ready to engage in the summer softball season,” he said. “These games range from the non-competitive, slow-pitch game to the highly intense, fast-pitch league with advanced-caliber athletes. This can lead to a wide array of predictable injuries.”

The typical student does not pre-condition for the softball season as it is a mainly recreational sport, which is why it can cause many injuries, Nespor said.

“Most students do not stay on an intense off-season conditioning program during the winter before their softball season starts,” he said. “With very little practice or conditioning, several people jump into the sport.”

Certain injuries are more common and should come as no surprise to participants who overdo things the first time out, Nespor said.

“Everyone knows the overhead-throwing motion is a complex physical skill,” he said. “If you haven’t picked up a ball all winter long and now all of a sudden decide to let go with a Ken Griffey-type throw to home plate, one can certainly develop a sore shoulder in a hurry.”

Nespor said this can cause injuries to the rotator cuff, the four muscles that are mainly responsible for the throwing motion. General soreness can develop in the shoulder from overusing those muscles.

“The best thing a person can do is to try to play a little bit and throw a little bit gradually before the season starts,” he said. “Be very cautious of that long, hard throw to home plate if you haven’t been warming up to the sport recently.”

Running the bases can also cause problems, Nespor said. Sprinting after a long break during the winter months without the proper conditioning can easily lead to injuries, he said.

“A person may sense or feel some sort of a pull or pop to the posterior thigh. At this point, it becomes very painful, and the person is unable to continue running,” he said. “The RICE principle [rest, ice, compression and elevation] would be appropriate at this point in time. You will have to gradually work back into the softball activity and also try to initiate some strengthening exercises, as well.”

More serious injuries can also develop on the basepaths, he said.

“Sometimes sliding into a base and either attempting to avoid a throw or hitting the base at an odd angle can cause different fractures to the leg and/or injuries to the leg,” he said.

And as always, bad luck can play heavily into the old sports equation, Nespor said. No matter how much an athlete might prepare, fate and other players can step in with extreme prejudice.

“Getting drilled with a pitch or thrown ball can also cause varying degrees of contusions,” he said. “If people are aggressive and use cleats for the sport, sometimes there are laceration injuries that occur from sliding into a base.”

Even if players think they have all the bases covered, a little common sense can go a long way, Nespor said.

“Forgetting the sunscreen and getting a nasty sunburn can also be very disabling,” he said. “And also, if your game includes the ‘one beer per inning rule,’ then the chance for injury increases as each inning passes.”

For more information, call Cyclone Sports Medicine at 294-2626.