Baseball season is right around the corner, and with fans and players both preparing to take on the long season ahead, there are some behind-the-scene heroes that have been preparing for months.
Cleveland Clinic Sports Medicine's Dr. Mark Schickendantz, Head Team Physician, has been traveling with the team and preparing for months before Opening Day. While the team was in the off-season, the athletic staff and doctors were working hard to get players ready for the season.
“They all have individualized programs to keep them healthy, keep them playing. We're there in the background and available to help manage problems as they come up” said Schickendantz.
He explained that typically players have their own routines on how to take care of themselves, but when injury does occur, the athletic staff is specially trained to deal with specific injuries, and many depend on the type of position.
“So, as you might imagine, the pitchers are much more susceptible to problems with their shoulders and their elbows. So that's usually what we're dealing with. Players are a little bit different. Your catchers are going to have problems potentially with their knees and their ankles. And then hitters can have hand and wrist problems, those sorts of things.”
Considering Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest on the field back in January, the MLB has taken its own steps to ensure that a plan is in place if something like that were to happen on the field of baseball.
“We have an emergency action plan in place to address just that sort of thing. Every Major League Baseball team has their own plan based upon their personnel and the facilities that they have. So, yes, we are ready for that. You know, God forbid we have a cardiac event such and such as that. We have the personnel and the equipment all ready to go,” Schickendantz said.
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