Getting Ahead of Overuse Injuries Before the Season Starts
Winter deconditioning can sap strength, flexibility, balance and cardiovascular fitness, leaving athletes vulnerable to sprains, shin splints, rotator‑cuff strains and other overuse problems when spring training begins. A pre‑season physical‑therapy assessment—recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine and supported by multiple peer‑reviewed studies—identifies hidden deficits in mobility, strength and movement patterns, allowing clinicians to design a personalized "pre‑hab" program before the first practice. One of the most effective load‑management tools is the 10% rule: weekly mileage, intensity or throwing volume should never increase by more than ten percent, which research shows reduces overload injuries by up to 50 %. By combining early screening with gradual progression, athletes can start the season stronger, healthier, and ready to perform pain‑free.
Why Pre‑Season Screening Matters
Winter deconditioning often leaves athletes with reduced muscle strength, flexibility, balance and cardiovascular fitness. Those deficits increase the likelihood of strains, sprains, and overuse injuries when spring training resumes. Evidence from the Journal of Sports Medicine shows that a structured strength‑and‑conditioning program can cut overall sports injuries by more than 60 % and nearly halve overuse complaints. The American College of Sports Medicine reinforces this by recommending a gradual load increase of no more than 10 % per week—whether in mileage, intensity, or throwing volume—to give tissues time to adapt and to avoid the acute spikes that precipitate injury. A pre‑season screening performed at least six weeks before competition lets clinicians identify hidden weaknesses, correct movement patterns, and tailor conditioning plans to each athlete’s needs. By catching imbalances early, athletes can safely rebuild the fitness lost over winter, stay on track with the 10 % rule, and enjoy a healthier, more confident start to the spring season.
Key Components of an Effective Screening Checklist
A comprehensive pre‑season screening begins with a whole‑body movement analysis that observes how the athlete performs fundamental patterns—squat, lunge, hinge, and reach—under minimal load. This quick visual check flags gross asymmetries or compensations before deeper testing.
Next, clinicians assess flexibility, strength, and balance. Standard ROM measures for the hip, ankle, thoracic spine, and shoulder identify tightness that can limit stride length or arm swing. Hand‑held dynamometry or manual muscle testing quantifies strength in key groups—hip abductors, core stabilizers, rotator cuff, and calf—while single‑leg stance or Y‑Balance Test reveal deficits in proprioception and postural control.
The screen then incorporates sport‑specific functional assessments such as the Functional Movement Screen (FMS), Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT), or Y‑Balance Test. These validated tools isolate the demands of baseball, soccer, track or lacrosse, highlighting risk factors like dynamic knee valgus, limited ankle dorsiflexion, or poor scapular control.
Finally, a dynamic warm‑up (10‑15 minutes of light activity, mobility drills, and activation exercises) is paired with a static cool‑down (post‑exercise stretching of hip flexors, hamstrings, thoracic spine, and shoulders) to reinforce mobility gains and promote recovery. Together, these components create a data‑driven, individualized plan that empowers athletes to train safely, reduce overuse injuries, and perform at their best throughout the season.
Local Resources in La Crosse for Comprehensive Screenings
La Crosse families and athletes have several trusted partners for one‑on‑one preseason evaluations that go beyond the school‑required sports physical. Coulee Physical Therapy offers personalized, evidence‑based assessments, including functional movement screens, strength testing, and sport‑specific drills, all delivered by therapists with over 25 years of combined experience and a 98 % satisfaction rate. Achieve Physical Therapy & Sports Medicine provides orthopedic and sports rehabilitation services at 1526 Rose Street, Suite 103, with flexible in‑person or tele‑health appointments and a focus on individualized conditioning plans. Gundersen Physical Therapy – Onalaska (3111 Gundersen Drive) and the broader Gundersen Physical Therapy network in La Crosse, Onalaska, and Hillsboro deliver comprehensive musculoskeletal screenings, dry‑needling, and corrective exercise programming, all without a physician referral thanks to Wisconsin’s direct‑access laws. These statutes let athletes see a licensed PT immediately when a niggle appears, accelerating early intervention and preventing minor complaints from becoming season‑ending injuries.
Collaboration is built into every screening: PTs work side‑by‑side with coaches, athletic trainers, and school nurses to translate findings into actionable load‑management strategies, such as the American College of Sports Medicine’s 10 % rule for mileage or intensity increases. This team approach ensures that identified deficits—like weak hip abductors that predispose runners to shin splints—are addressed through targeted strengthening, dynamic warm‑ups, and regular re‑assessment throughout the season.
Achieve Physical Therapy La Crosse, WI – A locally owned outpatient clinic at 1526 Rose Street, Suite 103, offering orthopedic, sports rehab, orthotics, and massage therapy with flexible scheduling and broad insurance acceptance.
Coulee Physical Therapy – Serves the Coulee Region with hands‑on treatments (dry needling, Graston, vestibular rehab) and one‑on‑one sessions, boasting over 2,500 patients helped and a 98 % satisfaction rate.
Gundersen Physical Therapy Onalaska – Located at 3111 Gundersen Drive, provides evidence‑based sports medicine, dry needling, and functional strengthening with direct‑access entry.
Gundersen Physical Therapy – Part of Gundersen Health System, offers comprehensive PT services across La Crosse, with a Sports Physical Therapy residency and no‑referral access.
UW‑La Crosse PT program acceptance rate – Historically 7 %–16 % (average ~10 %).
UW‑La Crosse pre‑Physical Therapy – An intended‑professional track guiding students through prerequisite courses and PTCT preparation.
UW‑La Crosse DPT tuition – In‑state total ≈ $56,304; out‑of‑state total ≈ $111,196, with financial aid available.
Designing a Personalized Preventive Program
A well‑structured preseason plan begins with dynamic stretching before activity to warm the hips, hamstrings, thoracic spine, and shoulders, followed by static stretching after activity to restore full mobility and reduce residual tension. Because weak hip and glute muscles are a primary risk factor for shin splints and runner’s knee, and poor scapular stabilizers predispose baseball and softball players to rotator‑cuff strains, the program targets these weak stabilizers with sport‑specific strengthening drills such as single‑leg hip abductions, clamshells, and scapular retraction rows. To keep training loads safe, the 10 % weekly progression rule—no more than a 10 % increase in mileage, intensity, or throwing volume—is applied rigorously, as recommended by the ACSM. Finally, a gradual return‑to‑play schedule blends low‑impact aerobic work, progressive resistance, and sport‑specific conditioning (e.g., cutting drills for soccer, throwing progression for baseball) to ensure athletes regain confidence and performance without overuse injury.
Monitoring Progress and Re‑Screening Throughout the Season
A structured re‑assessment every 6–8 weeks keeps athletes ahead of emerging imbalances. By repeating a brief functional movement screen (FMS) or Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) on the field, clinicians can spot new asymmetries before they become injuries. At the same time, coaches should log weekly mileage, intensity and sport‑specific volume to calculate the acute‑chronic workload ratio; values above 1.5 flag a heightened overuse risk. Open communication is essential—athletes, parents and coaches must be educated to report persistent pain, unusual fatigue or changes in performance promptly. Simple, low‑cost tools such as a 30‑minute movement screen, a symptom questionnaire, and a training‑load chart provide the data needed to adjust conditioning programs, ensure safe progression, and ultimately protect the athlete’s health throughout the season.
Stay Ahead of Overuse Injuries This Spring
Early screening catches hidden strength, mobility, and movement deficits before they become painful overuse injuries, saving athletes time, medical costs, and lost playing time. In La Crosse, clinics such as O’Brien Physical Therapy, Coulee Physical Therapy, and the Mayo Clinic Health System offer one‑on‑one assessments including detailed history, functional movement screens, and sport‑specific strength tests. By reviewing the results each week, therapists can adjust exercises, track progress, and prevent the gradual overload that leads to shin splints, rotator‑cuff tendinopathy, or stress fractures. Consistent monitoring turns baseline data into a personalized conditioning plan, turning injury prevention into performance gains throughout the spring season.