Consumer Reports

A lot of people in the nation’s capital have baseball on the brain this week. Primarily because the Washington Nationals have the first pick in Major League Baseball’s First-Year Player Draft this afternoon but also because tomorrow is the major league debut of last year’s first overall pick, Stephen Strasburg. I have baseball on my mind because of last week’s perfect game controversy. Last Wednesday, Armando Galarraga of the Detroit Tigers pitched what seemed to be the third perfect game of the young season. Unfortunately, umpire Jim Joyce called a hit on what should have been the final out. Joyce admitted the mistake after watching a replay, but Major League Baseball is not expected to overturn the call to make Galarraga’s effort a perfect game. Admirably, both Galarraga and Joyce handled themselves professionally and politely during the next game’s lineup card exchange . Videos of situations like that one that I linked to there can create opportunities for parents to talk to their children about good sportsmanship, and how to respect other players, coaches, and umpires.

May is the perfect month to hold National Physical Fitness and Sports Month . The weather is getting warmer, the days are nice and long and kids are antsy to be done with school. What time could be better to promote physical activity and encourage kids to step away from their video games and computers. There’s nothing wrong with playing those games from time to time, but with summer practically here, we should be encouraging kids to run around outside, stretch out their legs and get some fresh air. So what can you do to encourage your kids to be more active this month? Fitness.gov has some great tips and ideas for getting started. Take the reins and organize an event that promotes physical activity. Set up a walk or a bike ride. You can work with your community if you want to host a large event and invite your neighbors to attend, or you can host family events. Maybe every Saturday morning you will go for a family bike ride. You can also make family time more active in other ways. Go outside and play tag or capture the flag. Collect lightening bugs. Go hiking in a state park . There are lots of things you can do if you’re a little bit creative. What will you and your family do this summer to stay active?

The start of spring means the start of Spring Training. The major leaguers start warming up for the season, and it’s not long before little leaguers follow suit. Tons of kids play on youth baseball and softball teams every year and right about now they are in their spring training. It’s unfortunate then that arm injuries seem to be on the rise in kids who play baseball and softball. And it’s not just some minor muscle soreness researchers are worried about. In one study, they found 68 percent of kids in the study had limited range of motion in their elbow, while almost 85 percent had a tear in the cartilage just above the elbow. Doctors do have some tips for avoiding the common injuries . Number one on the list is stretching after a game to loosen up the muscles and prevent soreness. Doctors also stressed the importance of resting a sore arm to prevent a more serious injury and to make sure kids are playing in a variety of sports. Even if baseball is their passion, mixing it up builds muscle in other parts of the body and can help avoid overuse injuries. By taking just a couple simple steps, you can avoid sports injuries and keep your child in the game and having fun.