Baseball season is on the horizon. Every year, it seems like more and more young pitchers end up with serious injuries to their arms — like torn rotator cuffs. So how do you protect your baseball star?
A study from Methodist Hospital in Houston, Texas found that something as simple as playing catch during the off season can cut down on the risk of pitching-related shoulder injuries. David Lintner, the head team physician for the Houston Astros was involved with the study.
Lintner pointed out that many high school athletes play multiple sports. They often go from a fall sport (like football) to a winter sport (like basketball) straight to baseball in the spring. The first two involve VERY different types of throwing — between motion and throwing speed. Rushing right into baseball after that increases the risk of injury. The muscles aren’t ready for the full speed throwing action of pitching.
There are two factors at play in a young pitcher’s risk of pain or injury:
- High pitch count
- Throwing curve balls
Either or both of these can contribute to shoulder pain and rotator cuff injuries. The rotator cuff is a group of muscles and tendons that connect the shoulder blade to the upper bone in the arm. If those muscles and tendons are damaged, your young pitcher may experience pain, weakness, and difficulty raising the arm. Problems in the rotator cuff can lead to problems up and down the rest of the arm.
Here are some suggestions to help get your child’s pitching arm into shape:
- Starting in December, play catch — don’t pitch — for a few minutes every day. Increase duration as you get closer to the official start of spring sports training.
- Do some weight training in the off season. Focus on strength and flexibility — not bulk. Use three to five pound weights and multiple repetitions.
- Be sure to train the rest of the body, too. Strengthening the upper body and legs can add speed to a pitch without increasing stress on the pitching arm.