quote:Originally posted by Gingerbread Man:
I read a study once where like 90% of teenagers requiring TJ surgery complained of chronic elbow soreness leading up to the injury.
I do believe in strict pitch counts in games, but even more so I believe in completely shutting kids arms down when they begin to have any kind of chronic pain and let it properly heal and perhaps help them change mechanics, strengthen the arm and body and be more conditioned overall to play the game.
Actually many pro pitchers have ulnar ligament and nerve issues then shut down to rehab, hoping to avoid surgery, most will pitch with bad ligaments unless it becomes too painful and grouchy. Same way with college pitchers, it's really a bummer to have to take time off after you have worked so hard to get where you wanted. Yes the operation is successful but it still takes a pitcher a while to come back. Major (notice I said major) shoulder surgery usually signals an end to a pitchers career. There are so many issues that can occur with the shoulder for pitchers it's incredible.
But you bring up a good point, if a young pitcher or any player is experiencing pain, they should shut down and immediately seek a doctors advice, this may avoid future issues (like TJS or shoulder surgery). The problem is I think is that parents are afraid their players will lose "time". The same way that milb and pro pitchers hide injuries, they don't want to lose time.
MOST pitchers will experience issues that will sideline them at some point, if one disregards the warning signs (elbow pain for sure) those small issues become larger ones later on.
As far as good mechanics and conditioning preventing injuries if that were always the case pro pitchers wouldn't have all the breakdowns as they are the best conditioned, right? Wonder why they would have these issues? They certainly have controlled pitch counts and certain excercises to strengthen, and poeple know much more than they did years ago. Hmmm, maybe it was, when they were younger they pitched too much, too soon, they threw 150 in an outing, they played multiple sports, they threw too hard too soon, they threw CB with sore elbows, they threw sliders, they threw the ball too much against the side of the barn. No one REALLY knows how or when something will happen.
The best thing is to not do stupid stuff and if this is true it's just plain stupid.