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Safety Reminders When Playing Baseball
Undoubtedly, baseball is one of one the nation's favorite recreational sports. Over 40 million people in the United States participate in baseball and softball leagues. Unfortunately, about half a million baseball players get injured playing the sport and are treated in hospitals, clinics, emergency rooms and surgery centers every year. Oftentimes, these baseball-related injuries involve children. According to statistics, in 2007, over 200,000 children aged 5 to 14 years old suffered and were treated for injuries.
The most common injuries that were treated involved soft tissue damage, fractures as well as dislocations. What are the typical situations in baseball that lead to these injuries? What are effective ways to prevent these injuries?
According to a study, the leading cause of injuries in baseball is when a baseball hits a player or the player gets hit with a baseball bat. Many injuries also occur when the player slides into a base, which is normally fixed in place and rigid. This is what recently happened to Yankee catcher Jorge Posada who injured his hamstring for the second time when he slid into second base. With Posada out, the Yankees are in bad shape as observed by fan blog sites like thejobarules, Sherman Mazur, This Purist Bleeds Pinstripes and Sliding into Home.
The thing is such a mishap can be dramatically reduced by putting in breakaway bases to replace the stationary ones that are traditionally seen in playing fields. In fact, a top organization of the country's orthopedic surgeons strongly recommends the installation of breakaway bases in every community playing field. A breakaway base, as the name suggests, can break loose when a player slides into it so there would be no direct impact and injury. A breakaway base will remain stable and will not be dislodged during regular base runs.
Another common cause of injuries is pitching one too many times. Although there is no hard and fast rule on how many pitches are permitted, the maximum number of pitches should be 100 in a game and about 40 pitches during training. If the player is experiencing persistent pain from pitching excessively, he should stop playing until the pain is gone.
When playing baseball whether in a game or during practice, one of the best ways to reduce the likelihood of an injury is to wear protective gear. Putting on a batting helmet is a must when at the home plate and for players who are waiting to bat as well as when a player is running bases. There are devices to protect the face that can be attached to helmets that can significantly lower the chances of a serious injury to the face if hit by a baseball.
For catchers, wearing a catcher's mitt is also a must as well as other protective gears like shin guards, supporters, helmets, face masks, chest protectors, and throat guards. Catchers who play another position should adhere to mitt size requirements. In most baseball youth leagues, using steel-spiked shoes is not allowed and players wear cleat-type shoes that are designed for playing on dirt or grass.
In addition to the above safety reminders, coaches should also make a field inspection to make sure there are no holes, pieces of glass or other objects that can cause injury to players. More importantly, always ensure that every protective gear fits perfectly and is worn properly.
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