One-Sided athlete? Work out your non-dominant side!!!

One-sided athlete? Work out your non-dominant side in the off-season!

Baseball and softball players, Volleyball players, javelin and other track and field throwers, and tennis players – among others, all have the tendency toward being pretty asymmetrical in terms of strength and flexibility! According to a 2016 study* this can create risk for injury.

Working your non-dominant side during the off-season, as well as in-season strength and conditioning sessions will help reduce the risk of injury by evening out strength and flexibility through the hips and shoulders. This provides a more stable platform from the part of the core being pushed on by the hip or shoulder, and will reduce the risk of damage from the powerful muscles contracting maximally during a throw, strike, or sprint.... (or a dodge, dip, dive, duck, or dodge).

*Mokha M, Sprague PA, Gatens DR. Predicting Musculoskeletal Injury in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II Athletes From Asymmetries and Individual-Test Versus Composite Functional Movement Screen Scores. J Athl Train. 2016;51(4):276-282. doi:10.4085/1062-6050-51.2.07