If an athlete is in their adult years or ageing years, this does not prevent them from participating in softball. It does, however, require extra attention to the demands of these athletes, such as heart conditions, fractures/bone density, and flexibility/joint mobility.
Heart Conditions
Heart conditions are diseases or ailments that occur in the heart which prevent the heart from working effectively. When one has a heart condition, the heart cannot perform to its maximum capacity, thus reducing the amount of strenuous physical activity. The heart is unable to pump blood and therefore deliver oxygen to working muscles affectively, therefore, when a heart with a disease or ailment is put under copious pressure, it fails. When an adult or aged athlete has experienced heart problems before, their capacity to perform at a high level is reduced. Softball is a sport that utilises both the aerobic and anaerobic systems, both of which depend on the heart to pump much needed blood to working muscles. Seeking medical advice and alerting the coach will help in aiding the athlete in their performance and health. Caution and consideration should be taken by both the athlete and coach as to what the athlete can participate in and the level they can perform at. A sufficient warm up and cool downs, sufficient rest, and incremented participation can be beneficial for athletes who suffer with heart conditions.
Fractures/Bone Density
Aged or adult athletes that suffer from fractures or bone density issues have demands that need to be addressed in their performance in softball. Osteoporosis is a common problem faced by ageing athletes as bone density lessens and bone tissue thins over time. When an athlete is faced with this issue, extra care should be taken when performing in softball. With osteoporosis, a small knock to the arm or leg from the ball or a slide gone wrong, can result in fractures to the bone. Medical advice should be sought before decided to participate in softball as they may provide important information for reducing risk and damage. As softball is a impact sport that has common direct hard tissue injuries, extra caution should be taken into consideration when participating.
Flexibility/Joint Mobility
Issues with flexibility and joint mobility can be detrimental in participating in softball. Joint movement and flexibility is essential to softball as powerful throws and movement on the diamond are imperative to performance. Common conditions found in flexibility and join mobility include:
If an athlete has issues with flexibility and joint mobility, caution and preventative measures need to be taken. If an aged athlete has arthritis, for example, braces and tapping could prove beneficial to reduce in impact and stress. Stretching is essential to increase flexibility and movement thus sufficient warm ups and cool downs should be implemented.
- Osteoarthritis
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Muscle weakness and pain
If an athlete has issues with flexibility and joint mobility, caution and preventative measures need to be taken. If an aged athlete has arthritis, for example, braces and tapping could prove beneficial to reduce in impact and stress. Stretching is essential to increase flexibility and movement thus sufficient warm ups and cool downs should be implemented.