Baseball Season is Here…
Although your child may still be hoping for snow this year in Atlanta, youth baseball season is quickly approaching. For the next four months or longer, your child will be engaged in numerous practices and games. Excessive throwing without the proper warm-up and strengthening routine, could place your child at risk for overuse injuries to the arm by the time the season ends. What is an overuse injury? Overuse injuries occur with repetitive movements concentrated over a period of time that may eventually lead to ligament or tendon damage. For baseball players, overuse injuries often occur in the shoulder and elbow. While you cannot avoid all injury, there are steps you can encourage your young baseball star to follow to decrease the likelihood of injury.
STEP #1: Warm-up is important. Taking a few minutes before each practice and game to intentionally stretch and loosen the muscles he will use for throwing could help avoid injury over the course of the season.
Arm Circles: In standing, hold arms straight out to side and move the arms in a circular motion, forward then backward, moving from large to small circles. Repeat 20 times in each direction.
Pot Stirring: Bending at the waist, let the arm dangle,and then move in a circular motion, clockwise and then counter clockwise. Repeat 20 times in each direction.
Huggers: In a dynamic motion, swing your arms from a wide, out to your sides position to a close in, hugging yourself position. Repeat 20-30 times.
STEP #2: It is important to strengthen specific muscles of the shoulder and arm so they can support the repetitive forces created during a throwing motion.
Internal and External Rotation: attach a theraband to a solid post, bend elbow to 90 degrees. For external rotation, pull your hand away from your belly, keeping your elbow bent 90 degrees. For internal rotation, pull your hand towards your belly, keeping you elbow bent 90 degrees.
Plank to Side Plank: From an elbow extended plank, roll to your side, balancing through one arm. Hold each position for 20 seconds. Repeat 5 times on each side.
Scapular Push-ups: Start in a plank position on your elbows. Then perform push ups through your shoulder blades: Shoulder blades together (chest close to the floor) to shoulder blades apart (chest pressed away from the floor).
**If your child experiences pain with any of these exercises, stop and consult a physician or physical therapist. **
IMPORTANT NOTE:
Keep an eye on your child’s pitch count!
Pitchers league age 14 and under must adhere to the following rest requirements:
- If a player pitches 66 or more pitches in a day, four (4) calendar days of rest must be observed.
- If a player pitches 51 – 65 pitches in a day, three (3) calendar days of rest must be observed.
- If a player pitches 36 – 50 pitches in a day, two (2) calendar days of rest must be observed.
- If a player pitches 21 – 35 pitches in a day, one (1) calendar day of rest must be observed.
- If a player pitches 1-20 pitches in a day, no (0) calendar day of rest is required.
Pitchers league age 15-18 must adhere to the following rest requirements:
- If a player pitches 76 or more pitches in a day, four (4) calendar days of rest must be observed.
- If a player pitches 61 – 75 pitches in a day, three (3) calendar days of rest must be observed.
- If a player pitches 46 – 60 pitches in a day, two (2) calendar days of rest must be observed.
- If a player pitches 31 -45 pitches in a day, one (1) calendar day of rest must be observed.
- If a player pitches 1-30 pitches in a day, no (0) calendar day of rest is required.