That fastball came in like a heat-seeking missile. The target: the middle of your back.

Whether it was intentional or not doesn’t really matter. You toughed it out, making sure not to express an ounce of pain as you jogged down to first base.

You played through the pain and made it through the rest of the game. Now it’s time to check your tough guy status at the door, because it’s imperative that you take the proper measures to ensure a speedy recovery so you’re 100 percent and ready to go for the next game.

Whether you were beaned in the back, wrist or shoulder, the first step is to ice the contusion right away, says Mike Reinold, founder and president of Champion Physical Therapy and Performance in Waltham, Massachusetts.

Icing is good for two reasons. First, it alleviates the pain associated with a contusion. Second, it prevents further swelling to the injured area.

“Compression is also really helpful,” says Reinold, who served as the head athletic trainer and physical therapist for the Boston Red Sox.

Compression stops excess fluid from surrounding the injured area, thus minimizing the swelling.

Reinold advises compressing throughout the day and night when you’re not icing. If you’re crafty, he suggests cutting a foam pad slightly larger than the contusion and wrapping it with a compression wrap. “That tends to help reduce swelling,” he says.

Of course, the best defense against a potentially harmful bean ball is to wear protective gear and apparel at the plate.

For the best players in Major League Baseball, the choice is obvious. With its signature Gel-to-Shell fitting process, EvoShield gear and apparel provide the lightest, least intrusive and most protective option in the game.

They say the best offense is a good defense. Take the offensive and reduce your risk of injury by gearing up with the latest line of game-changing protective apparel from EvoShield.

Shop the complete collection of protective gear and apparel at the official EvoShield website.