Prevention of overuse injuries includes engaging in a comprehensive pre-season conditioning program which includes strength training, flexibility exercises, endurance training, and anaerobic training. Once the season has begun, athletes should concentrate on proper training techniques and set realistic goals for improvement. ONLY ONE of these areas should be increased per week. It is also important to follow a day of hard workouts with a day of easy workouts, or rest. Prevention of overuse injuries should also include an evaluation of training techniques and surfaces.
Muscle soreness is inevitable during training and conditioning.
If athletes stretch well, before and after every practice or competition, muscle soreness can be kept at a minimum. Monitoring athletes while they stretch ensures they are performing the stretches properly and effectively. Remind athletes proper warm up and stretching are important in preventing injuries, even on hot days. As part of a varied program, including both interval and continuous training, over-distance training can be effective. However, continual increases in training distances, or excessively high training distances, may develop higher rates of overuse injuries.