Erik G,quote:
“My son had labrum surgery last December and was wondering would changing his arm slot on throwing help diminish some stress.”
Is the tear in the back (Posterior), the front (anterior), or on top, this one usually has the bicep tendon involved at the insertion of the tendon into the bone right on the edge of the Labrum (superior)?
Backside tearing and Fraying on the Labrum occurs from forward starting forces when the thrower miss aligns his humerus and shoulders because the athlete brings his Elbow (humerus) behind straight line running through his shoulders (acromial line)(Scapular loading) also exacerbated by over early rotation of the shoulders and hips past the line running between the target and opposite of the target. When the thrower turns to throw if he does these things? He will set up what’s known as centripetal imperative that means he will then fight the angular start to get it back on line but will not be able to stop the resulting finish across the front of his body after release that causes frontside labrum and bicep tendon problems. This particular motion acts like a Mortar and pestle grinding up your labrum and causing other shoulder muscular problems.
quote:
“HE IS NOT a pitcher, he is a 1B.”
He must make turning start field throws from a static position often in quick panic situations that allows for this mechanical mistake pretty easy.
quote:
“He has an over the top throwing motion, almost quarterback-like.”
This is good, the higher your humerus is the better!! Your arm vector has nothing to do with the problem.
quote:
”Does anyone have any experience with this topic?”
The fix, you must ask him to take the ball back with his humerus in line with his shoulders and the ball thumb up, when the ball and arm are up to ear height (driveline height).
He must now lock his humerus in line with his shoulders then start his transition at the back by turning his elbow up (outward rotation of the humerus).
Now he can start initial forward force by rotating his shoulders with the humerus not moving within the Glenoid (shoulder socket) and as he drives the ball forward his shoulders and humerus remain lined up during drive and all the way thru finish. No humeral lag and no humeral angularity at finish. He must finish by hinging his elbow by putting his arm and hand towards his now rotated ball arm hip pronated (thumb down Elbow up) not across the chest with an anchored ball arm leg the way most are taught.
Your son needs to rehab by first changing his mechanics so the same problem does not replicate itself, second by performing a gradual heavy resistance “Sport Specific “ training progran for the atrophied muscle and connective tissue when he gets his Doc’s release to rehab.