After a few weeks into Spring Training, Mets’ third baseman Todd Frazier felt increasing discomfort on the left side of his chest and abdomen while swinging. After an MRI on February 25th, team personnel diagnosed an oblique muscle strain. There is currently no timetable for his return. He was treated with a cortisone shot and he will stop swinging to rest the muscle.

The oblique is a large abdominal muscle extending from the lower rib to the pelvis, the large bone that supports your hip. This muscle plays an important role in twisting motions of the trunk. The oblique can be strained (pulled), meaning partially torn with a hard swing of the baseball bat. Muscle strains usually occur with eccentric contractions, meaning that the muscle is forcibly lengthened when it is trying to contract and shorten (do it’s job). Muscle strains heal themselves. The pain from a strain can make an athlete less effective a their sport.

It’s not typical to have an MRI to diagnose this problem. It’s usually obvious in context (symptoms) and on examination (signs). It’s also not typical to have a steroid injection. Steroids decrease inflammation. Inflammation is an important part of the healing process. Inflammation also causes pain. Steroid injections are usually used to relieve pain in the hopes of returning to play sooner.