Fingers crossed....

From reading many accounts of pitching injuries on this forum I've been very adamant with my son to stop immediately if feeling any sort of discomfort in his shoulder or arm while throwing.  Even in long toss we shut it down if there is any feeling of discomfort. 

 

Hopefully it will be good news for your son. 

Never good to get a phone call like that lefthookdad.  Hopefully it is something minor.  My son's freshman year in college, his shoulder started to hurt.  He felt it start in a game.  He thought it was something major, the team trainer thought it was something major, the school doctor thought it was something major.  We were sweating bullets.  Then he went to the team's specialist at the Hughston Clinic and talked with their main guy and he told us he basically had a tight shoulder and needed to rehab it for a while.  He didn't pitch for a month, did stretching and strengthening exercises for his shoulder and everything worked out.  Hopefully your son will have the same good news.

 

Keep us posted for sure!!

I'll keep your son in my thoughts and prayers lefthookdad.

Get an MRI with contrast.  My son had an MRI recently and the big guy in NY said he needs an MRI with contrast to really see whats going on. He goes to NYC monday for reevaluation.

Clicking means something. For my son it was his cortacoid bone hitting another and he had it shaved down, it took a long time to find this out. After that the clicking went away.

Dont panic! let us know how it goes. 

 

 

Good luck to your son, Lefthook!

 

Agree with getting MRI with contrast, but depending on insurance that may have to wait.  At Kaiser, we had to go back for that after docs saw issues on MRI #1.

I had shoulder surgery this year for a torn labrum and a bony bankart fracture.  After the surgery the doctor told me that clicking in the shoulder is really, really, really not a good thing.  It may just need therapy to strengthen the muscles around the joint and that will eliminate the clicking or it could be a sign of a more serious problem.  Either way, you need to get him an MRI soon. Hopefully it just needs a little therapy and some TLC. 

Thanks for the suggestions in regards to the MRI with Contrast....I will mention that to the Doc when we get in.

First Dr visit set for this coming Tuesday

Clicking not good. Could also be a loose capsule. Loose capsule can be tightened by excercises.

Know this I'd difficult, and everyone wants  to help by sharing stories, and saying it could possibly be this or that. They mean well, but tune them out and just wait to hear what dr says. I could tell u about my sons experiences but won't.

Will seem like a long wait until Tues. If u go online u will be overwhelmed with info, some helpful, a lot not. My advice is to try and keep sons mind off it, don't talk about it, maybe go to movies. Does no good speculating. 

Looking forward to hearing what dr says, wishing you the best.

Good luck and say some prayers.  If it helps...#2 on my son's HS team last year (now hits 90+ and is committed to a serious D1 program) had similar issue as a junior.  He rested and did exercises for a month and then came back and was nasty in playoffs...threw CG gem in state championship game.  It's probably not as bad as it seems.

Son is taking it in stride.  He is just very competitive and dreads the thought of being red shirted.

lefthooddad,

 

I hope it is nothing and your son can overcome the condition on his own.  While I'm not in your shoes, I have been in those shoes (twice with two sons) before and it isn't fun. Luckily, neither of our medical situations required surgery.  If I can offer any advice it is to get a couple Dr's (orthopedists) opinions, understand the schools medical procedures for injuries like nobody's business, and keep impeccable records and notes.  If the school will not allow a 2nd Dr's opinion get it on your dime.

 

You will not believe the paperwork that is generated from a medical event such as this.  Also, get to know your son's medical trainer at school.  The trainers can make a huge difference in all of this, and be an advocate for any medical needs.  I'm wasn't one for getting involved with my son's college program, but a medical issue is a reason to get involved.  

 

Good luck and let me know if I can help in any way.

 

 

I am confused...if son is in college somewhere why did he ask you to call doctor?

Thanks fenway.  The team trainer is involved and they are the ones who set up the appointment.  The HC is very good to work with and will not have a problem with a second opinion.

 

TPM, son was on Christmas break and up at his old HS throwing with his brother and some other players when he called.  He is not away at a college.  He is playing for a JUCO in our home, otherwise it would have all been handled through the school.

Lefthook my son had Labrum surgery on 4/16/14. He had a tear from 1 o'clock to 9:30 and had the surgery done with the Andrews Institute. Hope you get good news but if you have any questions feel free to PM me. 

My son also had a clicking noise in his shoulders. We too took him to see a specialist. Turns out he had a micro tear in his growth plate. He was told to give up throwing for one summer, by the fall he was back to normal. Good luck.

Well, initial visit is done.  As expected , zero on the x-rays.  Doc feels that he may be experiencing some sort of impingement in the shoulder as the shoulder is rotated backwards to the, for the lack of medical terms, the cocking position.  He will undergo and Anthro MRI once approved by insurance.  Until then, just Naproxen and have to wait for the authorization.  At least the Dr is trying to expedite the case.

Good Luck!

Been following this thread closely as my son is also having shoulder issues. He has been down for about 2 months and it does not seem to be getting any better. He has a doctors appointment today. Good luck to your son.

Thanks.  It is awesome how tight knit the baseball family is.  Thanks to my buddy, LH will be going in for his MRI today, instead of waiting for insurance red tape approval.  He said he may receive the results shortly after the MRI, depending on how busy the Radiologist is, and that we may know something as early as this afternoon, by tomorrow at the latest!  It's funny how connections are made.  This friendship started from simply caring enough to get involved with the local LL and having the good fortune to have his son on my team, unknowingly at the time, and just making the effort to spend some extra time with his son, and all of the other kids, to teach them the greatest game on earth.  Man, I LOVE THIS GAME!

 

Oh, and needless to say LH is pumped to get on this and get to fixing it!

 

Best of luck to you both.

 

Good luck!

Ok, MRI is done and the preliminary report suggests "Classic internal impingement".  Setting up a follow up appointment with the Doc now for exam and review of radiology report and recommendation of treatment.

Hopefully, he has nothing serious going on, can rehab and not miss much, hopefully any, of his season.

 

FWIW...son's elbow and wrist cracked at will non-stop for nearly ten years, until he was out of baseball for a few years. He could sit on the couch, flap his throwing arm and it would sound like a couple of maracas.

LH is very happy, and fortunate, that all of the appointments seem to be fast-tracking.  Just found out the follow up appointment with the local Ortho Spec is tomorrow

That sounds promising

It does sound promising.  I mentioned earlier that my son had a shoulder issue a couple of years ago.  Had the popping and he was worried.  I think his diagnosis was similar.  An impingement.  Turned out his shoulder and scapula muscles were just very tight.  He had a muscle "cord" that came up over his shoulder from the back that was popping over the structure in his shoulder.  Hope that makes sense.  He did about a month of stretching and strengthening and he was good to go.  I hope it is the same kind of thing with LH.  Good luck with the appointment tomorrow!!

Yes, it could have been a lot worse.  Now, we'll wait and see what the Doc says after his review and exam.  He seemed to be leaning toward a shot of Cortisone and some strength training if this was the outcome of the MRI.  My friend also suggested a review of his mechanics, since during conversation LH stated he thinks he may have altered his arm a angle by raising it slightly to adjust for the minor discomfort, which he was advised moving it up was not good.   But, all seem to be optimistic that it was at least caught early, if it turns out to just be an impingement issue.  LH is optimistic because Conference games won't start until March

I am just wondering who the doc is.
Any type of impingement needs serious consideration as to what is causing the impingement.   How to rectify the situation is just as important as the diagnosis.

Right now the Dr we are using is Daniel S Lamar.

Initial diagnosis is my son has a minor Labrum tear, getting a Contrast MRI to see how bad it is. 

Ugh, hopefully it is very minor.

Thanks now I have my fingers crossed.

Fingers crossed....we're all hoping the same.

I see Lamar worked with Uribe.

My suggestion to all with young pitchers with problems is to take the conservative approach.  It may just be that a few months off with therapy may help. Your sons are way to young for any major surgical procedures.

The shot helps take the inflammation away, however in most cases weeks of taking off and then a slow comeback with a throwing program and then slowly back on the mound is what needs to happen.

Trust me, son has been there done that, a few times.

That is how we approached it. Shut him down for 2 months, just physical therapy (wife is a PT). Even though his shoulder is strong the pain persisted. He saw a doctor with a preliminary diagonosis of a torn labrum will get a contrast MRI done. He has another appointment next week with another specialist to confirm.  

That pretty much echo's what the Rays trainer told my son on the phone last night.  He is already mapping out a plan for LH and will have a sit down with him to give him a crash course on everything shoulder related and what it will take to properly strengthen it up, of course in conjunction with Dr Lamar.

 

I have no problem tossing the red-shirt thought around, LH refuses to hear it though.  In reference to another thread, this will be a good test of his hunger!

Uh oh, diagnosis not good.  LH has a "moderate" labrum tear.  The Dr seems to think the impingement is what caused and/or led to the tear.  Dr suggests surgery, say she does not think cortisone and/or any amount of rest will help it.  I am burning up the phone right now trying to set up a second opinion.  LH very upset.  I feel so bad for him but keep reminding him there will be a light at the end of the tunnel and that it needs o be taken care of the and taken care of the right way, no ruShing, no shortcuts!