The sports offseason carries certain injury risks for athletes as their bodies and minds become more deconditioned, particularly as they start their sport back up. What happens when the offseason is extended far longer than just a month or two?
In the best of times, we see a number of athletes in our clinic when their season restarts as their training intensity ramps back up. We currently find ourselves in a unique time in the world though. Group sports and athletic events have been cancelled and/or postponed. Athletes may lack an outlet for their passion and have difficulty maintaining their conditioning through a longer offseason. More time off means more time for specific muscles, ligaments, and bones to decline in effectiveness and optimal function. Special efforts must be taken to avoid injury, particularly once sports start up again and athletes enter into “catch up” mode.
The good news is that there a many actions you can take to help! We’ve put together a three-part video on the Deconditioned Athlete, focusing on what it means to be deconditioned, common injuries resulting from the offseason, conditioning exercises to address these common conditions, and other actions you can take that address the whole body and mind so you can come out of the offseason ready to perform at the top of your game injury-free!
