Passing on an experience as well as a lesson learned. My son is currently a sophomore at a juco. He had a strong freshman season, pitched a little less than 40 innings, and felt great the whole season. Kind of a run of the mill righty that you often find at that level. 88-89, touching 90. Pitched in the Northwoods League and was 89-90, hit 91 in first game. Second game he was 89-91, hit 92. Third game he was 87-88 and after the game said his arm was a little tight. Pitched a week later and was the same velo but his elbow hurt. Took him to local sports medicine clinic where they did an X-ray, valgus test, and diagnosed him with a flexor pronator strain and advised rest for several weeks and then resume. Fall ball starts and my son starts to throw after being out about 6 weeks. Felt good, pitched an inning in a fall game and felt good. Pitched the following week and his elbow was sore and arm stiff. Went back to sports medicine clinic who ordered an MRI. Two orthos and a PT doctor reviewed the MRI and all indicated normal thickening of UCL and diagnosed with with tendonitis. We are now 3 months since first issue. All advice continued PT and rest.
It is now 8 months out and nothing is getting better and it is starting to wear on my son. We were able to get in with the Dr. Raasch, the head physician with the Milwaukee Brewers. He orders an MRI "how he likes to see them." It was literally an hour long MRI which my son said was light years different than what was given by the University of Wisconsin. He was diagnosed with a high grade partial UCL tear and will undergo surgery in 2 weeks. Bad timing, feel like we wasted 8 months, but we finally have an answer.
My lesson to pass on is if you can afford it, go to a doctor who specializes in throwing athletes.
