David A. Wang, MD, primary sports medicine physician at HSS spoke to Sports Illustrated about Atlanta Braves starting catcher Sean Murphy's recent oblique injury. 

"The oblique muscles are important to generating speed during a swing, so if the muscle is injured or they are having pain, the player will not be able to swing as effectively," explained Dr. Wang. "Even once pain has improved, you still have to be cautious with how quickly the athlete returns because there is always a risk of re-injury. After an injury, the oblique muscle needs enough time to heal and rehabilitate to handle the large amount of load they see during a swing or throw. As with any muscle injury, if you progress and load the muscle too quickly after injury, even if pain is better, you risk re-injuring the area."

Read the full article at SI.com.