NH Sports » Injury Treatment and Prevention

North Hills Athletic Trainers  

Eric Cardwell & Missy Bauer

North Hills Trainer Eric Cardwell Develops Rehabilitation Program

Eric Cardwell, who has a master's degree from California University of Pennsylvania and has been with AGH for 12 years, doubles as the trainer for North Hills.

Based in part on research conducted at the University of Cincinnati, Eric developed the program to speed the rehabilitation of injured athletes at North Hills High School.

http://postgazette.com/pg/08177/892235-114.stm

Above is a link to a recent article in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette that featured Eric's work with football and track athlete Ed Reith. 

Training Tips

Use of ice in the treatment of injuries

In the event of playing a sport it is inevitable that injuries will occur. Sprains, strains, and bruises are the most common.

· Apply ice to the injured area – this will help decrease pain and reduce swelling

· Ice should not be applied directly to the skin – use a plastic bag, damp towel or thin cloth to place between the skin and ice

· Ice massage is the only time ice should be applied directly to the skin, and the ice is constantly being moved during the application

· Ice should be applied for no longer that 10 min. at a time, but can be used several times throughout the day

· Heat should not be applied to a new injury because it will increase the swelling to the injury site.

Prevention of throwing injuries

• Overload – throwing too many pitches in one inning can lead to shoulder problems.

• Overuse – pitching too often and not having adequate recovery time can also lead to shoulder injuries.

• Proper conditioning – the entire body needs to be in condition, legs, arms, and core muscles. Use of proper stretching and warm-up program is important.

• Pre-season – throwing too much, too hard, and too early can lead to shoulder injuries.

• Improper throwing techniques – this places stress on the shoulder and can cause injuries.

Recognizing pitching arm fatigue – when the accurateness, and speed of the pitches decreases

7 Tips for Pre-season Conditioning by Eric Cardwell, Athletic Trainer for North Hills

• 1. Prepare for your upcoming season by start early enough and maintain a routine.

• 2. Get FIT - When training, consider the 3 prongs to success - frequency, duration, and time.

• 3. Use weight lifting to enhance performance and prevent injuries. Follow a program prescribed by a certified strength coach.

• 4. Use running drills that mimic the type of running that you will use in your sport. This is called drill specific conditioning. Refer to the Community Recreation Program on the main page for the Speed & Agility Clinics.

• 5. Maintain a flexibility program. Paying attention to flexibility will decrease the chance of incurring a muscle injury.

• 6. Good nutrition is training for the energy system of the body. Like a car, when the fuel is of high quality, the body will run better and longer.

• 7. Hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate! Drinking sufficient water and sports drinks are essential to maintaining the body's cooling system.

Page last edited on: 2010-06-03
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