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 I am a 16 year old baseball pitcher. I was living in Japan until last Summer when I moved back to Hawaii. When I was in Japan, that is when I hurt my shoulder. I was throwing live BP to my teammates and with one throw I felt something weird in my shoulder but I kept on throwing anyways. I simply thought it was just a normal injury and thought it would heal over time and ignored it and continued throwing for a little bit more until I couldn't really tolerate the pain. The pain came from my biceps area and it hurt the most when I cocked back. But anyways, I rested for about 2 months and when I moved back to Hawaii,I went to go see a doctor and told me I had shoulder instability. So I was told to rest but I was throwing about 70-80 pitches per bullpen session for just once every week. So the second doctor I saw suggested on having a MRI done and the results said that I have a SLAP tear. But because he was a elbow specialist, we went to a different doctor for a second opinion. We went to a doctor who was the head athletic director of UH(university of Hawaii) and she also said I had a SMALL tear.So when preseason started and I went on the mound to pitch, I still felt the pain but to a certain extent that I could throw. But for some reason I actually started THROWING FASTER. When I was in Japan, I only threw in the mid-low 70's but after the injury and in my second preseason game,I was sitting around low 80's and topped out at 86. I'm not sure if you're supposed to be throwing faster after a SLAP tear. But then my third doctor told me to stop throwing so I ended up not throwing for the entire JV season. I started PT and ended up going for about 4-6 weeks(2 times a week). But I don't really think that helped out. So the fourth doctor who is also a specialist in throwing athletes, did some physical tests on me and told me that he doesn't really see a problem with me and the SLAP tear. But we're not too sure because he never saw the MRI yet. But anyways, I'm currently going PT once a week and started doing acupuncture and it might actually be working.But I'm not fully sure because I haven't throw for about a month. I really don't want to give up my dreams and still want to continue playing. Any suggestions?

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When I saw your post, it reminded me of what happened to my son, I am actually pasting up a response I had to a fellow poster on this site where I gave my experience/opinion. My son is now a sophomore in college (D1). There are basically three types of SLAP tears, type 1, 2 and 3 tears, and depending on the severity, the solutions may differ. Here is what I wrote...

Hello PitcherOnlyDad...I can relate with you and feel for you. My S had a slap tear couple of years ago, went to 1st dr (sports medicine) and examined, said 'bruised' biceps, to rest. Pain continued, and I requested MRI, and he agreed and we did the MRI with contrast (arthrogram) which is the only way to really see well the results. Turns out there was a slap (close to type 1) and the guy (dr) wanted to operate. I wanted a second opinion and went to a 'baseball' sports medicine dr. He said that S did not need surgery, that he has seen a lot of BB players and a lot has some kind of tear in the labrum ( this guy is the md for an MLB team as well as a power D1 school). He recommended PT at a 'baseball' PT place with therapist that know baseball. The PT guy was incredible although it took 24 hard working sessions to strengthen all the muscles around the labrum so that everything works in perfect harmony. Although S is not a pitcher, he recovered extremely well following all procedure, only missed the fall of his junior year. Now he is a freshman at a D1 school and throws 90+ in the infield (he is a ss). Absolutely no pain whatsoever after the PT and the shoulder is incredibly strong. 

My take...I am a firm believer in PT if done properly by the right people and if the right physician examines your son, a guy that truly understands baseball players and deals with them on the daily basis. A note...after the first 12 PT sessions we went back to dr and we felt that S was not ready and requested another 12 PT sessions (an insurance thing, 12 and then ask for another 12). Each session of S was 2.30 hrs, but it worked. Son was even allowed to work out with the exception of over the shoulder exercises. PT for the kids may be very boring but it really works.

FourBases posted:

When I saw your post, it reminded me of what happened to my son, I am actually pasting up a response I had to a fellow poster on this site where I gave my experience/opinion. My son is now a sophomore in college (D1). There are basically three types of SLAP tears, type 1, 2 and 3 tears, and depending on the severity, the solutions may differ. Here is what I wrote...

Hello PitcherOnlyDad...I can relate with you and feel for you. My S had a slap tear couple of years ago, went to 1st dr (sports medicine) and examined, said 'bruised' biceps, to rest. Pain continued, and I requested MRI, and he agreed and we did the MRI with contrast (arthrogram) which is the only way to really see well the results. Turns out there was a slap (close to type 1) and the guy (dr) wanted to operate. I wanted a second opinion and went to a 'baseball' sports medicine dr. He said that S did not need surgery, that he has seen a lot of BB players and a lot has some kind of tear in the labrum ( this guy is the md for an MLB team as well as a power D1 school). He recommended PT at a 'baseball' PT place with therapist that know baseball. The PT guy was incredible although it took 24 hard working sessions to strengthen all the muscles around the labrum so that everything works in perfect harmony. Although S is not a pitcher, he recovered extremely well following all procedure, only missed the fall of his junior year. Now he is a freshman at a D1 school and throws 90+ in the infield (he is a ss). Absolutely no pain whatsoever after the PT and the shoulder is incredibly strong. 

My take...I am a firm believer in PT if done properly by the right people and if the right physician examines your son, a guy that truly understands baseball players and deals with them on the daily basis. A note...after the first 12 PT sessions we went back to dr and we felt that S was not ready and requested another 12 PT sessions (an insurance thing, 12 and then ask for another 12). Each session of S was 2.30 hrs, but it worked. Son was even allowed to work out with the exception of over the shoulder exercises. PT for the kids may be very boring but it really works.

Thanks for the reply. I think the doctors told us that it was a type 2,which most pitchers have.

One of the doctors told us that "you need to have a SLAP TEAR to throw 90" so I was wondering if throwing faster after a tear is a normal thing?

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