Reducing Throwing Injuries
Ever wonder why you are hearing about pitchers having arm surgeries all the time now days? There are many factors that play a role throwing injuries, but the primary factor is overuse. Overuse can look like many things, and can result in arm fatigue of the pitcher. The results of fatigue can be catastrophic to a pitchers mechanics and control of the shoulder and elbow. We have talked in previous articles about the importance of the shoulder stabilizers, namely the rotator cuff. The rotator cuff give stability to the shoulder joint and promotes proper positioning and movements of the joint during a throwing motion. However, these muscles are fatigued after throwing. If you have ever pitched and the next day you feel a soreness in the back of your shoulder, this is most likely soreness in the rotator cuff. When these muscles fatigue they cannot produce the needed force to stabilize the shoulder, and their movements are not as coordinated and can result in altered mechanics. The combination of these aspects result in a much larger chance of injury. Many studies have been done on the risk factors for throwing injuries. One source lists these risk factors for pitching injuries:
· Pitching > 100 innings in one year = 3x greater risk of injury
· Averaging > 80 pitches per game = 4x greater risk of injury
· Pitching > 8 months per year = 5x greater risk of injury
· Regularly pitching with arm fatigue = 36x greater risk of injury
I think back to when I was pitching and there were several times that I was breaking all of these suggestions. My arm felt it too. There were times I could barely lift my arm to wash my hair in the shower. Do you think I could throw the ball where I wanted too? Not a chance. One of the main things we are seeing now days is a year-round approach to baseball. While training year round can be very beneficial, at least 4 months should be taken off from throwing to let the muscles recover. The off time from throwing can be a great time to increase overall strength and can play a big role in helping a pitcher stay strong throughout a season.
As listed above, regularly pitching with arm fatigue dramatically increases the risk of a throwing injury. MLB.com (link below) lists age appropriate guidelines for pitching and how to minimize the chance of pitching with fatigue. There should really be no instances when these guidelines are broken. Maybe a pitcher is thinking they will get more visibility with scouts if they pitch twice a week for two teams. The reality is that pitcher will end up with arm problems and not be worth a dime to anyone. It is better to pitch less often, while you are at your best, than risk injury by pitching while fatigued. Another thing to note is what you do in between outings. As far as workouts go, the day you pitch should be the easiest day of the week. If you are not a starter this can be more challenging because your scheduled play is uncertain. It might be good to perform light strengthening and maintenance exercises in the mornings, even on game days. The main point is this. During the days between pitching outings it is crucial to perform shoulder and shoulder blade stabilizer exercises to build on the strength and endurance of those muscles. Take care of your arm, and it will take care of you.
-Caleb Kutsche
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