Hinsdale Orthopaedics Health Tips
May 22 – Prevent injuries by warming up, cooling down and staying hydrated
May 23 – When working out, practicing or playing in an athletic game it is important to warm up with progressively active movements. This will help to help coordinate your body’s physical functions.
May 24 – After intense physical activity it is important to cool down. While your heart rate slows down use moderate muscle movements in preparation for a post workout stretch.
May 25- Hydrate before, during and after an intense workout or competition. It is important replace sodium and electrolytes as well as water during activity to decrease the likelihood of cramping. Eating bananas and sports energy bars during competition is a suitable way of doing so. Staying hydrated will help regulate your body temperature during activity.
May 26 – Static and dynamic stretching can help you avoid stiffness and soreness after activity and help to improve sports performance. Dynamic stretching is used to help loosen muscles. Static is used after work to help increase flexibility and prevent hamstring and other muscle tightness.
May 27 – Treat injuries immediately. The sooner you get help from a physician, the faster the road the recovery.
June 1 – Request a timetable for return after injuries. A good physician will give an anticipated rest and recover time.
June 2 – Keep your body conditioned and in excellent shape all year round, not just in the playing season.
June 3 – Try to stay in shape while injury is healing. An athlete will have limitations on exercise depending on where the injury is, but there are ways of doing exercises regardless of limitations. For example, if the shoulder is injured, an athlete can continue to do lower body conditioning.
June 11 – Coaches/Parents should listen carefully when a pitcher complains about pain in his/her arm.
June 12 – For at least 3 months a year, a pitcher should rest his or her arm.
June 13 - Before practicing curveballs, etc. a pitcher should focus on the proper mechanics, a fast fastball, change-up, control.
June 17 - Be active for at least 20 minutes a day…baseball is a good choice!
June 18 - Get 7-9 hours of sleep per night.
June 19 - Drink lots of water to stay hydrated on hot days.
June 20 - Always start your day with breakfast
June 21 - Eat more grains, fruits and vegetables
June 22 – Get up at the same time every morning
June 27 – It is recommended that you drink two liters of water per day
June 28 – Cut down on caffeinated drinks
June 29 – Stretch before you exercise to prevent injury.
July 3 - Increase your Vitamin D intake. The recommended intake is 400-800 international units.
July 4 - Control your sodium intake. It’s recommended limiting sodium to less than 2,300 mg per day.
July 5 - ”Incorporate avocados into your diet. They are rich in monounsaturated fats and Vitamin E, both of which promote healthy skin.”
July 6 - On hot days, maintain a consistent eating pattern. It is especially important not to skip breakfast. After 6-8 hours of sleep your body’s blood sugar level is low.
July 7 - Protect your skin from the sun. Follow the shadow rule if you go out in the sun & the shadow is longer than you, then the UV exposure is bearable.
July 8 - Do some more walking. Walking improves elasticity in blood vessels which makes them less susceptible to formation of aneurysms or rupture.
July 16 - Use dancing as your exercise for the day. Just 20 minutes of moving a day can decrease your risk of heart disease by 14 percent.
July 17 - Keep a positive attitude through the day.
July 18 - Take a break from your everyday work schedule.
July 19 – Keep young pitchers under a low pitch count.
July 20 - Take care of your kidneys.
July 21 - Balance your food choices. Your body needs nutrients like different vitamins & minerals & protein.
July 28 - Slow your heart rate with a variety of movements during a four-to-five minute warm up. After activity repeat your warm up until your heart rate is below 100 beats per minute.
July 29 - Practice short distance sprints. Baseball players need to focus on speed & agility verses long distances.
July 30 - Even if you are a pitcher–condition your whole body during workouts. You use more muscles in your body besides your arm.
August 7 - Incorporate strength training into your everyday workout.
August 8 - Condition your middle-body muscles as this helps strengthen your spine too.
August 9 - Zumba is a great form of exercise. It combines Latin rhythms with exercise & resistance training.
August 10 - Choose an exercise program that is accredited by the National Commission for Certifing Agencies (NCCA) to ensure quality professionals.
August 11 - Walk for 30 minutes a day–the smallest change in your exercise routine can make all the difference
August 12 - Know your family’s health history.
August 17 - Tame tension headaches by rubbing peppermint oil into your temples. It contains menthol which has analgesic properties.
August 18 - Wear proper shoes when exercising. The wrong footwear can cause back problems.
August 19 – Limit the amount of stress in your life. If you feel you are becoming overwhelmed, take a break and do something that makes you happy. Stress over time is hard on your body.
August 24 - Instead of chips with your sandwich, switch to unsalted pistachios. People who eat 2-3 ounces of unsalted pistachios a day reduce their cholesterol level.
August 25 - Have a piece of apple pie when you feel a headache coming on. The smell actually reduces muscle contractions in the head & neck.
May 17 -Use dancing as your exercise for the day. Just 20 minutes of moving a day can decrease your risk of heart disease by 14 percent.
May 18-Be active for at least 20 minutes a day. Baseball is a great choice!
