Injuries

My has his first soar arm now. Doc says nothing wrong just take a month off and do proper exercising.

quote:

Originally posted by KellerDad:
Any else see a huge uptick of injuries this fall? I know of more kids with arm problems currently than ever before.

Maybe it's just the company that I keep.

I know of 3 kids with Tommy John injuries. Maybe it's the age of kids and the overuse now beginning to show it's ugly head. Who knows.

And it will only get worse as long as kids play on multiple "select" teams year round!

But KD have you noticed how people talk about the Tommy John surgery like it is no big deal?
Its like aw hell we'll just have Tommy John and be back in a year.

My players are bugging me to throw bullpens. I have told them no bullpens until after Christmas. I have cut the throwing back for everyone the last 4 weeks.

Jeff, I feel that they do need some rest and with the almost three weeks of holidays in Novemeber and December, that is when I give it to them.

You are right many kids think it is no big deal. My son was borderline on needing surgery lasy year, fortunately he did not have to and with rest and rehab he seams to be doing fine.
I don't think the kids realize the seriousness and the length and amount of work that goes in to rehab after surgery. They only hear about the sucess stories where pitchers after the surgery may add 2-3 miles and hour on their fastball and that future injuries are down after surgery.

We don't hear about the kids that never make it back after the surgery only the success stories. My son thought 7 months was an eternity, no way could he made 12-18 months of rehab.

Tommy John surgery should be viewed as a last resort not the first choice.

quote:

Originally posted by KellerDad:
Maybe it's the age of kids and the overuse now beginning to show it's ugly head. Who knows.

Regarding over use:
My son, not a pitcher but a MIF, had his elbow scoped last April by Dr. John Conway. His initial visit with Dr. Conway, Dr. Conway asked him if he "plays baseball 13 months out of the year". Dr. Conway went on to say that baseball players should rest there throwing arms for 3 months every year. My son will not throw a baseball for approximately 2.5 months (Nov 1 - Jan 15).

Regarding conditioning/exercises:
As part of his physical therapy, my son went to Marty Stadjhar (sp ?). Marty's rehab for my son's elbow was mainly strengthening and development of the upper shoulder muscles in the back of his throwing arm. Many baseball players pectoral/anterior deltoid muscles are more developed causing shoulders to hunch (is this a word?)or slump forward. Because of this there shoulder joint does not stay engaged when throwing. This puts added strain on the ligaments, tendons and muscles of the elbow and shoulder. Marty armed my son with a series of postural exercises for the back of the shoulder muscle that he was to do, "before and after every baseball game and practice, FOR REST OF BASEBALL CAREER".

So, my opinion is both overuse and improper strength and conditioning can combine to cause sore arms, surgery, etc.

FYI- both Dr. Conway and Marty are thought very highly of within the baseball community.

Kirk, you have a PM.

Kirk, you are so correct. I get my kids in the weightroom and they show no interest in working the back of their shoulder. As someone that has had his share of shoulder injuries I know first hand.

Conway worked on my shoulder but it was too little and way too late.

Bottom line, kids want to strengthen the front of their body because that is what they see when they look in the mirror!

FD-what exercises do you recommend for minimizing arm/shoulder injuiries?

I had a similar situation to kirk's son injury last year (almost a year and a half now). My right shoulder blade was inches below my left due to weak back muscles and "loose" ligaments-which is something I have naturally and will always have. I too went to Stadjuhar (I THINK this is right) and his rehab was great. I have been better than ever since my rehab and am currently resting from late October-mid January as well. I was overused as a kid and have had multiple arm injuries starting when I was 8 (total of 3). Luckily I think these have taught me the importance of rest and arm (shoulder and elbow) strengthening.

Kirk believe it or not but you weren't working hard enough.
Your back muscles have to be worked so that they are balanced. If one side requires more work to get it even with the other that is what you have to do.
All doctors blame BB for these issues. I blame lack of knowledge and knowledeable preparation.
My son fits all the senarios. Overuse,CBs at 9yo BB13 months a year and his arm and shoulder are excellent at 20yo.
You aren't working hard enough and more important smart enough. many of my son's ex teammates did the same and are D1 ball players with solid shoulders and arms. Hey they used the same doctor my son does. Got great advice and are heathy. One just got back from Austria playing for a Bluse Jays development program they set up a few years ago.

So what are some good exercises for the back of the arm and shoulder?

Get yourself a good pitching/BB book that deals with weight training specific to pitching/BB .
You have to do light weights until you are in your 2nd to last growth spurt. Have your body evaluted to see what needs work and if you can have your arm/shoulder/back evaluated to see if there are any issues before you start.
Books wies I like the louisvill series , pitchers edge etc. Go to the library if you don't want to buy them.
When you train you should always have good posture and shoulders curling forward is common if you over work the front like heavy curls etc. I have seen this in guys who over work the arms.

I also know two players that are out for two or three monthes with arm injuries. These were because of the weightroom. This is the first couple of people that I have ever seen get hurt that seriously (broken wrist and seperated shoulder w/ ligament damage) in the weightroom. I have heard of strains and tears but to hear of broken bones was a first. They told me that they were just trying to do to much.

I got hurt last year at the beginning of the spring season with bicep tendenitus(sp?) ligament damage in my elbow and some other medical stuff. But I didn't get to pick up a baseball for monthes and it feels alot better now. What was weird was that it all started with a little sting that I felt in my arm when I was pitching.

I went to Dr. Meister(sp?) and then did rehab with Chuck Waberson at the Rangers Rehab Center in Arlington. It was a great facitlity and helped alot. Hopefully within a couple of monthes that I'm back up to full strength. There are a ton of small weight excercises that I have to do every night that seem to have been making the difference. It's small things/feelings in your arm that can turn into real serious stuff if you don't take it serious or rest it.

High thats an excellent point. Weights can be just as dangerous if done improperly as throwing a BB.
I talked to a father of a graduting college player who was being courted by a ML team. They wanted a little more velo from him. He started using heavier weights in his squats and crush a lower back vertebae and is finished.
You need proper supervision.

Another thing I've been told and like to follow is that reps are more important that heavier weights.

Check out Dr. Lintner"s website ( Google his name ) on this subject. He calls it GIRD. My son went through it and am aware of at least 5 others in our area with the same problem. Throwing and weight lifting naturally cause the shoulder girdle to rotate forward and will affect mechanics too. Physical therapy reversed the process but he needs to spend extra time on scapular and rotator exercises along with stretching daily. We were told age 13-16 with fast growth periods are the most susceptable.

HSP- You were proofreading your post but missed that months does not have an "e" in it. .

Good back exercises depend on what your trying to accomplish. With my condition, everything I did revolved around pinching my shoulder blades to correct that problem. I don't know names of exercises but in general, pinching the shoulder blades works the muscles with little weight needed. Also, tubing exercises tended to work the back.

I work my back almost as much as I work my abbs and legs-which are more than I work my arms and chest. I feel that this has helped me a ton. What some kids don't realize (and I've only heard this as theory, not definite fact but it seems logical to me) is that if the muscles that deccellerate the arm are weak, tired, etc. it will end up slowing down velocity (if not on one pitch, in time).