By Dr. Leonard Somaribba, P.T., D.P.T., C.S.C.S.
High school sports are more competitive and intense than ever, with athletes dedicating their time and energy to playing their sport at peak performance. The constant workouts, practices, games, and conditioning can take a toll on adolescent bodies as these athletes put in hours of hard work to reach optimal fitness. One may feel that a comprehensive preseason evaluation and treatment plan is only an option for college and professional athletes, but high school athletes can benefit greatly from receiving this care from a doctor of physical therapy. Famed basketball player Kobe Bryant refers to his physical therapist as his secret weapon (MoveForwardPT 2016) — a testimonial to the power of physical therapy to treat injuries and improve abilities for the elite athlete and the everyday sports enthusiast or amateur athlete.
Preseason training is an important aspect of participating in a variety of different sports. Competitive high school sport programs usually include football, basketball, soccer, baseball and track. High schools with more varied athletic programs may also offer golf, tennis, wrestling, and other popular sports. If an athlete makes an effort to participate in preseason training they face a reduced risk of injury and increased safety while playing these sports. The high school athlete can benefit from identifying areas of weakness and high risk prior to starting the season.
In addition to a reduced risk of injury and the ability to play more safely, preseason training assists with an athlete’s performance. The athlete can get assistance to determine athletic goals upon evaluating their baseline level of fitness. A typical sports season can span 12-20 weeks of the year and the remaining 32-40 weeks can be utilized as valuable training and conditioning time to combat loss of endurance and fitness in the off season. Preseason training will prepare an athlete to start practice during the season without the need to regain skills that were neglected during the off season. This type of training can instill more confidence in these young players, leading to better performance overall and a much happier and healthier athlete.
Dr. Leonard J. Somarriba, P.T., D.P.T., C.S.C.S. is from ProFysio Physical Therapy LLC. For more information, call 732-333-6360 or visit www.profysionj.com. ProFysio has two locations: 1212 Route 34, Suite 24-25, Aberdeen; and 2124 Route 35 south, Holmdel.