More and more athletes are training with plyometric exercises, which involve explosive movements such as jumping. Proponents swear by the drills, but researchers have yet to substantiate the risks and benefits.
Professional golfer Payne Stewart's game was interrupted by a wear-and-tear injury to his back last January. But through an exercise program emphasizing trunk control and strength-a program that would benefit all golfers-Stewart was able to quickly return to the course.
For a long time physicians and physiologists were convinced that weight training did not produce significant strength gains in prepubescents. But recent studies have suggested otherwise, and some sports medicine groups now support supervised strength-training programs for this age-group.
Experts say that conditioning exercises and proper body mechanics help decrease the number of throwing-arm injuries. Once these injuries occur, the trend is toward more conservative treatment, particularly of rotator cuff injuries.
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