Despite staying in a stationary position, pitchers can also suffer from various injuries because of their repetitive throwing motion. Fortunately, there is a way to prevent and treat these injuries if ever it happens.
Baseball is one of the country’s most favorite sports. If you’re one of those who are avid fans of the game, you can’t keep up with the excitement for the next season openers.
Same with any other athlete, baseball pitchers also need to take the time to rest. Doing so helps regain their strength for the coming season. But as they do this, they often find it challenging to get back to their best shape in a short amount of time. There’s even a considerable chance that they might injure an injury or two as they prepare for the upcoming baseball season.
Understanding the common injuries that pitchers can suffer from is a practical way to prevent it from happening. To help you learn more from it, here are a few of the most common pitching injuries as well as where they strike.
Rotator cuff injuries
The upper-arm bone also called the humerus, can get irritated from degeneration and overuse. Repetitive movements and continual motion can damage the tendons over time. UPMC says that once this happens, the athlete will find it challenging to rotate their arms without feeling any pain. Often, wearing shoulder support can help ease the symptoms.
Ulnar collateral ligament injuries
Mueller Sports Medicine says that the ulnar collateral ligaments (UCL) primary purpose is to connect the humerus and the upper arm bone to the ulna. When a person suffers from a UCL injury, the ligaments often become torn. Thus, causing pain on the interior part of the elbow area. Same with rotator cuff injuries, it also occurs from overuse, too. If you’re suffering from a UCL, you’ll hear a popping sound followed by extreme pain. For underlying UCL injuries, using an elbow stabilizer can provide relief.
Medial epicondylitis
Most people call medial epicondylitis as thrower’s elbows. A person who has it experiences mild pain on the side of their elbow. Once it progresses, the person will soon feel that their elbows are stiffening. They’ll also feel their wrist starts to weaken. It often happens when the person’s tendon becomes inflamed and irritated because of overuse.
Preventing baseball injuries
So that you can protect yourself from most types of injuries, continuous pre-season exercises are a must. You can start by conditioning the arms to strengthen your pitch. Wearing supportive aids such as baseball mouthguard can also provide you with enough protection for your teeth. Athletic Trainers says that wearing one during a play can help protect you from dental risks.
Lifting weights and doing some hip and leg exercises is also a great idea when doing pre-season practices. That’s because it limbers up your muscles so it can endure further muscle strains.
These are only a few things that you need to remember about baseball injuries for pitchers. Understanding all these things will help protect you from most injuries in the future.
