06 Apr How Pitching Leads to Changes in Little Leaguer’s Shoulder
Dr. Scott Mair and colleagues at the University of Kentucky conducted research into what throwing really does to young arms and shoulders. To evaluate these adaptive changes, the study followed 32 male baseball players between 13 and 21 years of age for six years to study changes in the shoulder’s range of motion and strength, along with any growth plate changes shown by X-ray images. The study showed that there are changes that occur in the bones and soft tissues of the upper arm and shoulder, but that these changes actually can allow for better throwing motion and velocity. One such change was a change in the growth plate of the shoulder. The researchers of the study caution that pitching too often and throwing year round can push these changes to the point of injury. Dr. Mair noted that young players do need a break from throwing. he noted that in the old days many played baseball in the summer and football in the fall and basketball in the winter. This gives the arm adequate rest and uses other muscles during other sporting seasons. But now with many kids playing year round, it’s not unusual for a kid to pitch on three different teams. And who is keeping track of their pitch counts, innings pitched etc. These kids are at risk for growth plate injuries that produce pain, such as little leaguers elbow. When pain alters your normal activities and effects throwing mechanics, thats when you should consult a physician. Under the new little league rules, anyone who throws more than 20 pitches in a day needs to rest a day before he can pitch again. If pitchers throw 85 pitches in a day, they must rest at least three days before pitching again. How Pitching Changes Little Leaguer’s Shoulders