Playing spring sports? Duke Sports Medicine offers free spring sports physicals, tips to stay injury free

It's nearly time for spring sports season to begin, which means some young athletes will need to update their sports physicals.

To help those who might not be able to afford one, Duke Sports Medicine is offering two free spring sports physical sessions next week.

Here's the schedule:

Duke Sports Medicine also shared some helpful tips for athletes to remain injury free this spring.

For any sport it’s best to warm up for 10 to 15 minutes before pushing the pace. This allows the muscle fibers to loosen and expand for a smoother, faster stride.

In early stages of your training don’t be afraid to incorporate other endurance activities such as swimming, cycling or rowing as your body’s fitness improves.

Weight sessions of 30 to 45 minutes, two to three times per week focused on core, major muscle groups in the legs and arms can prevent overuse injuries such as stress fractures and tendonitis.

Keep track of your work outs so you know when to cross train, slow down or take a day off. It will also help you look back to understand your progress to your goal.

And here are some tips for specific sports ...

Start low and go slow. Follow the “10% rule” of time or mileage increase per week and stick to it!

Duke Sports Medicine specialist Dr. Jocelyn Wittstein explains more about the 11+ program that reduces ACL tear rates in soccer in this YouTube video (which I will be watching with the youth soccer players in my house).

Rest for Resilience. Resiliency is the key great training. Studies have shown the best recovery occurs when you get seven to eight hours of sleep per night and provide your throwing arm adequate recovery between practice sessions.