After a nearly 7 month-long, 162-game regular season, the 2021 MLB playoffs are officially underway with a sense of normalcy following 2020’s abbreviated season. With four Boost customers represented in the playoffs this year – the Atlanta Braves, Chicago White Sox, San Fransisco Giants and LA Dodgers – it’s no doubt that there is something to be said about the Boost technology’s role in training, recovery, and performance.
Atlanta Braves
Despite losing a couple of players mid-season, the Braves were able to fight their way to a 4th consecutive National League East title. At one point 5 games behind the 1st place NY Mets in the National League East, they made an impressive comeback when they rallied to win 16 of the next 18 games, putting them at number one in the division. They are set to take on the Milwaukee Brewers in the Division series.
White Sox
After making their first playoff appearance last year since 2008, the White Sox stayed consistent throughout the entire 2021 regular season despite multiple injuries. They never lost more than 5 games in a row, and secured the American Central League title after a 7-2 win over the Cleveland Indians to make this the first back-to-back playoff appearance in White Sox history. They are set to take on the Houston Astros in the Division Series.
San Fransisco Giants
After narrowly missing the playoffs by one game last year, the Giants began the 2021 season with only a 5.7% chance of making the playoffs. They were determined to prove those statistics wrong, and that they did – not only playing an incredible season, but beating the Padres on the final day of the regular season to secure their first National League West title since 2012. They are set to take on the Dodgers in the Division Series.
LA Dodgers
After winning the 2020 World Series – their first in 32 years – the LA Dodgers started the season with their eyes on becoming the first team since the 1988-2000 Yankees to win back-to-back World Series. They entered the last week of the season hoping to clench their ninth consecutive National League West title but were nudged out by the Giants, sending them to take on the Cardinals in the Wild Card game on October 6th. However, after a walk-off home run by Chris Taylor in the bottom of the ninth, the Dodgers defeated the Cardinals in the Wild Card game to advance to the Division Series against the Giants.
How does the Boost technology help baseball players?
Atlanta Braves Boost
Baseball season is extremely long, and injury prevention and recovery are essential in each player’s ability to stay on top of their game throughout both regular and postseason.
According to several studies, injury rates in the MLB have been on the rise for a while now, with a staggering 37% increase between 2005-2008. Luckily, the Boost air-pressure technology is not just helpful with lower extremity injuries. According to one study, upper extremity injuries account for 51.4% of injuries in the MLB, and the Boost can be a huge benefit in maintaining cardiovascular fitness throughout that recovery process. Concern over falling during running or agility training is often a reason most physicians will not allow this until a certain point in the recovery process. But, with the Boost, the individual is safely secured in the unit to eliminate the risk of falling while also benefiting from the decreased impact of each foot strike while running. This reduces the likelihood of pain at the upper extremity injury site as well as eliminates the risk of the individual falling on the injured area.
Overall, players are able to come back faster by allowing them to maintain fitness while injured and perform rehab exercises at an expedited rate due to the decreased impact on bones and joints as well as eliminating the risk for falls. Additionally, incorporating it into regular training can help directly contribute to career longevity by reducing longitudinal forces on bones, joints, tendons, ligament and muscles.
Congratulations and good luck to all of the Boost teams competing in this year’s playoffs, and be sure to catch all of the action now until the World Series begins on Tuesday, October 26th!
