Preseason Is the Right Time to Get Checked
As baseball, softball, track, and soccer preseason ramps up across Lubbock schools and club programs, Dr. Brett Chavez sees a familiar split at Back 2 Health Chiropractic: athletes who come in only after something has already gone wrong, and the smaller group who come in beforehand to get ahead of it. Sports injuries are far more manageable, and often preventable, when the underlying movement restrictions that set them up get addressed before the season’s demands hit full intensity.
Why Restrictions From the Off-Season Matter
Athletes coming off a period of reduced training, or who spent the off-season in a different sport with different demands, often carry joint restrictions and muscle imbalances that didn’t matter much during lighter activity but become significant once training intensity ramps up. A hip that isn’t rotating fully, a shoulder with restricted overhead range, or asymmetry between a dominant and non-dominant side are all patterns that increase injury risk once an athlete starts throwing, sprinting, or cutting at full effort again.
What a Preseason Evaluation Covers
Dr. Chavez evaluates range of motion throughout the major joints relevant to the specific sport, checks for asymmetries between the two sides of the body, and looks at overall spinal mobility, since restrictions in the spine affect how efficiently force transfers through the rest of the body during athletic movement. This isn’t a generic screening; the exam is tailored to the demands of the sport, since a pitcher’s shoulder demands differ meaningfully from a sprinter’s hip and ankle demands.
Addressing What the Exam Finds
Where restrictions are found, chiropractic adjustments help restore normal joint motion before the season’s training load puts full stress on that limited range. For athletes with significant muscle tightness contributing to the restriction, professional stretching or massage therapy is often part of the plan. Athletes managing tightness in larger muscle groups sometimes benefit from fire cupping as well, particularly heading into a season with a heavy training volume.
Building Injury Prevention Into the Season
- Maintain a proper warm-up routine before every practice and game, not just competition days
- Keep strength and mobility work consistent through the season rather than only in preseason, since gains made early can be lost without maintenance
- Address minor tightness or asymmetry early in the season rather than waiting for it to become a limiting injury
- Communicate any new soreness to a coach or trainer promptly rather than playing through it, especially in a growing teenage athlete
When to Come In
Any athlete heading into a new season, especially one coming off an injury or a period of reduced training, is a good candidate for a preseason evaluation. During the season, any pain that’s affecting performance or that isn’t resolving within a few days of rest warrants a proper look rather than assuming it will work itself out.
If your athlete is gearing up for spring season, schedule a new patient visit at Back 2 Health Chiropractic in Lubbock, TX before the first competition.
References
- National Athletic Trainers’ Association, “Preseason Preparation and Injury Prevention,” nata.org
- American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, “Sports Injury Prevention,” orthoinfo.aaos.org
