Overuse and Injuries

For those of you who are concerned about the rise in injuries... here's a link to an article that you should read...

http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/05/15/1198722/epidemic-or-not-injuries-abound.html

I am concerned that overuse and sometimes abuse of pitchers has taken place in high school, legion and showcase baseball. Too many times kids are thrown entirely too much, all for the sake of getting the win.

I believe that concentrating on 1 sport doesn't allow you to develop as an overall athlete. You work the same muscles over and over and I believe that this inhibits growth as an athlete. BTW, what's wrong with playing something else to have fun and stay competitive anyway?

I believe there is a lot of truth in this article and it is worth reading.

Braves: I believe also this is worth a sticky...

 

"I am concerned that overuse and sometimes abuse of pitchers has taken place in high school, legion and showcase baseball. Too many times kids are thrown entirely too much, all for the sake of getting the win."


I don't necessarily think it is overuse at any individual level as much as a combination of all the teams they "specialize" for.

When i was coming through school (right after they discovered electricity) you played the sport in season. so i didn't throw playing offensive line, others didnt throw playing running back etc (except the QB).

guys now are playing baseball year round. i think this is where we are getting in trouble. High school>> to legion, or showcase>> to fall ball >> and then start over.

this is why I dont let my guys (especially pitchers) throw at all in december (unless they do it with out me knowing) i tell them to take the whole month off without picking up a ball or bat.

 

Coach - I agree with everything you mention here and you are exactly right... it is a combination and kids need some time off, aka. December. But it is still sad to think that there are coaches that throw a HS pitcher too much, and I have seen it happen, though not as bad as it used to be back when you and I played.

IMHO kids need to spend more time being kids and playing other sports for the competition and exercise of it. I think as a result with better teaching and more all around athletes that better baseball players will result, players less prone to injury because they have developed their total body.

 

This is a topic

that comes up all the time and thanks Coach for bringing it back up. When I first got into coaching at the high school level I was shocked at the smell of icy hot and red hot in the dug out from the first day of practice. But it didnt take long to figure out why so many of the kids had sore arms. It wasnt from throwing too much and wearing down. It was from not throwing enough then trying to throw too much. It was sitting around all fall and winter and not throwing then showing up for tryouts and trying to throw the required amount to get ready for a hs game in two weeks.

I am convinced that more arm injuries at the hs level come about from players who do not properly prepare for the game of baseball and then try to get prepared in a short period of time. Kids thinking they can put the baseball down not throw for three or four months and then pick it up on Feb 15th and be ready to compete in two weeks.

Yes there are cases of pitchers being thrown into the ground and rode like a rented mule. But something can be done about that. The player can speak up, the coach can educate himself, the parents can go to the player and the player can go to he coach.

I have never coached a kid that worked his arse off in the off season leading up to the hs season who complained about a sore arm. In fact these guys are game ready day one. They have prepared for the season before the season got there. I have seen numerous kids hanging day one. They "took a break" from throwing and were not ready to start the season. Its not like we have a month or two to get ready once tryouts start. The season is only three months long. By the time they get their arm in shape "if" its not hurt the season is over.

The best way to build a strong healthy arm is to throw. And use proper throwing mechanics. Along with a good strength and conditioning program. Yes I believe its a good idea to take some time off in Dec to early to early Jan - "from the throwing motion" but not from the things you can do to continue to build the strength and conditioning that allows you to continue to work on building a strong healthy arm. Med balls, Core work, thera bands, plyos, etc etc.

There are some things that I believe can be traced directly to the problem were talking about.

1- Younger players who are not taught proper throwing mechanics at a young age.

2- Younger players who pitch too much but dont throw enough with proper mechanics.

3- Not throwing enough and then trying to throw too much.

4- Over use without proper prep before pitching again and without proper rest as well.

5- Too many games which causes players to not have time to work on their fundementals and time to build that arm strength.

6- Over zealous parents who want to showcase their young stud. Playing multiple games on more than one team and pitching too much. The best young arms are the ones at the most risk. They are the ones put on the mound at an early age because they have the good arm. By the time it matters what kind of arm they have theirs is worn out.

7- Coaches who are more concerned with winning a game than the health of the player. Coaches who are not educated in the game enough to understand that rest between starts does not mean playing SS the next day after throwing 120 pitches or taking ground balls in practice at SS and making throws across the infield. And rest is not sitting in the dugout chilling with the manager.

And there are many more. I think kids should play as many sports as they want to play. And if they only want to play baseball that is fine as well. But imo they need to understand that playing baseball does not have to mean playing in a tourney every weekend from March to Nov. They need to understand that working at getting better means many times showing up without a bat ball or glove. And if you want to build a strong healthy arm you need to develop solid throwing mechanics and then throw.

The kids with the best arms work to build a strong arm. Otherwise if you have a strong arm without working on it your only breaking it down and it eventually will break down. Long toss, band work, mechanic drills, core work, proper weight training, proper conditioning, do not hurt an arm. They build a strong healthy arm and a base you can continue to build on. Not throwing enough then trying to throw too much is more of a risk than throwing all the time.

When a freshman enters hs baseball for many its the first time in their life they have thrown 6 days in a row. Practiced 6 days in a row. They have never properly trained to get in top physical condition. They have had all the pitching lessons. They have been to the hitting instructor. They have played on the travel teams and played in all the tourneys. And they are about as prepared to compete at the hs level and compete for playing time as I am ready to do some brain surgery. And the icy hot comes out and the arm is sore. And the journey begins.

One last thought. There is one way to make sure you never hurt your arm throwing a baseball. Dont risk it. Simply dont play. Or work hard, train hard, educate yourself and prepare for success, and then let it fly. And if you have a scar or a worn out arm when your a grand pa you can brag about how you had the balls to lay it on the line. While the other guys are left with a bunch of excuses on why they didnt.

 

Thanks Coach!! Well stated!

 

Great advice here!

A quick thought: throwing off of a mound creates MUCH more torque than throwing off of flat ground. For this reason, college and professional players do the vast majority of their throwing and training on flat ground. Bullpen time is limited and done very purposefully.