Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers (PBATS) Baseball Conference

The days are getting longer, which can only mean one thing . . . baseball and softball seasons are right around the corner. Brian Ommen, DPT and Cole Abernathy, ATR recently attended the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers (PBATS) Baseball Conference in Baltimore, MD. 

This continuing education opportunity covered common baseball injuries from head to toe.

One of the most heavily covered topics (and rightfully so) was the throwing shoulder and arm. Many games, seasons and even careers have ended due to shoulder and elbow injuries. 

Increased chance for injury can usually be attributed to three things: poor strength/conditioning, overuse and poor throwing mechanics. 

Poor rotator cuff and scapular strength is often the culprit when assessing a throwing injury. It is vital to maintain strength both during the season as well as through the winter. To strengthen these muscles, high reps with low weight will target the muscles needed to stabilize the shoulder region.

Overuse is also common in throwing injuries and is the most avoidable of the three mentioned above. Most youth baseball leagues now have pitch counts to avoid extreme overuse. A few things to think about when assessing overuse include: feeling of arm fatigue/soreness, participating in multiple baseball/softball leagues, age, and even perceived performance.

Poor throwing mechanics will frequently put unneeded stress on the throwing shoulder and elbow. Most people think of the shoulder as generating the throwing power when in actuality the majority of power comes from the legs and trunk. By not using the proper step, rotation and follow-through the chance of injury increases with every throw. To assess throwing mechanics, depend on coaches and even video analysis to evaluate or correct the throwing motion.

Baseball and softball seasons are a great time of the year. The proper precautions and preventative training will help to ensure an enjoyable season. PLAY BALL!