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Will Haskell · 11-27-2005, 01:46 PM

I would recommend a couple of things. The first would be to look at his throwing from a cumulative level and not just looking at how many throws he makes if he pitches. Warmup throws, practices, playing another position and even having a catch out in the backyard will give you a better picture of how much he's actually throwing over a period of time. It is very possible that an overuse syndrome is present but you don't see it because pitch counts or total innings spent playing might be relatively low.

The second thing I would suggest is looking at his throwing mechanics. If he is throwing a 4-seam fastball and the laces are not spinning straight back, chances are he isn't throwing the baseball correctly. Same goes for if his head/eyes aren't level throughout the throwing motion, if one shoulder drops to one side, or if his lead leg isn't positioned directly towards the target causing him to throw across his body. These are just a few examples of mechanical flaws that can put stress on the elbow and by correcting these, we can add velocity and accuracy while decreasing the chance for injury.

The last thing I would recommend would be to get him involved in other sports away from baseball in the off-season or to get him a qualified Youth Conditioning Specialist. Decreasing his chance for an injury won't simply be fixed improving his flexibility. Improving systemic strength, coordination, balance and range of motion thoughout all areas are just a few that will serve to decrease his likelihood for injury.

I realize I haven't quite answered your question but there is no set prescription to prevent him from injuring his elbow because the cause of his elbow pain could also be a result of some form of structural problem that corrective exercise could fix. It could also be as simple as adjusting the way he throws the baseball.

I hope this information has been of some help or insight that will lead to correcting the problem. Keep us posted on his progress as I'm sure others here can also provide some valuable information to aid in his development.

Will Haskell
Athletic Development Specialist
will@tsanorthwest.com

11-27-2005, 01:46 PM	#2 (permalink)
Will Haskell Fitness Expert Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 51	I would recommend a couple of things. The first would be to look at his throwing from a cumulative level and not just looking at how many throws he makes if he pitches. Warmup throws, practices, playing another position and even having a catch out in the backyard will give you a better picture of how much he's actually throwing over a period of time. It is very possible that an overuse syndrome is present but you don't see it because pitch counts or total innings spent playing might be relatively low. The second thing I would suggest is looking at his throwing mechanics. If he is throwing a 4-seam fastball and the laces are not spinning straight back, chances are he isn't throwing the baseball correctly. Same goes for if his head/eyes aren't level throughout the throwing motion, if one shoulder drops to one side, or if his lead leg isn't positioned directly towards the target causing him to throw across his body. These are just a few examples of mechanical flaws that can put stress on the elbow and by correcting these, we can add velocity and accuracy while decreasing the chance for injury. The last thing I would recommend would be to get him involved in other sports away from baseball in the off-season or to get him a qualified Youth Conditioning Specialist. Decreasing his chance for an injury won't simply be fixed improving his flexibility. Improving systemic strength, coordination, balance and range of motion thoughout all areas are just a few that will serve to decrease his likelihood for injury. I realize I haven't quite answered your question but there is no set prescription to prevent him from injuring his elbow because the cause of his elbow pain could also be a result of some form of structural problem that corrective exercise could fix. It could also be as simple as adjusting the way he throws the baseball. I hope this information has been of some help or insight that will lead to correcting the problem. Keep us posted on his progress as I'm sure others here can also provide some valuable information to aid in his development. Will Haskell Athletic Development Specialist will@tsanorthwest.com