14 year old baseball pitcher
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I have a 14 year old boy whom last year was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his throwing arm. He has seen 2 different ortho. doctors and both seem to think that the stress fracture was not related to throwing. We cannot think of any one instance where this could have occured other than in the previous season he dove for a ball while playing the outfield and did roll over onto his arm, still no way to know for sure. The fracture itself was located on the inside of the humerus in between the shoulder and elbow but a tad closer to the distal end. Neither growth plate was affected and were said to be in good shape. In the preceeding winter months he did participate in a weight training regiman that included light to moderate weight that he had no trouble performing 15 reps per excercise. He also did some medicine ball work that consisted of several types of overhead two handed throws into a wall. The stress fracture was diagnosed in the month of july which was after the above training regiman. At that point he stopped doing everything including bike riding,lawn mowing and of course baseball by doctors orders. After one month he was re xrayed and the stress fracture was said to be sealed and in good shape. He still did nothing until october when we started a very light tubing regiman as well as some very easy playing of catch, all was performed with no reported pain or discomfort. After the start of this new year he started a little more agressive training efforts but not quite as demanding as the previous winter. Everything seemed to be going fine than he started to feel some discomfort in his bicep area which is where he said he hurt at the time of the stress fracture. I took him back to the doctor and he was xrayed and the results were negative and his growth plates were said to be fine. At that time he was said to have some tendonitus in his supraspinatus tendon. He has since started with a physical therapist in a rehab program. In his last visit to the physical therapist upon my request he was also checked for some bicep tendonitus in which the therapist said he did have some inflamation in the bicep tendon. Obvously my first concern is his health, if he does not pitch this year that is fine with me Id rather have him be sound and able to compete at the high school level next year. I guess what Im asking is what should he be doing now? Although I do trust the physical therapist I just dont think hes taking a sports minded approach to the rehab but than again Im not the therapist. If hes in no pain as far as motion should he be doing something more than just a few tubing excercises as well as some scap stabilizing excercises? The only time he feels discomfort is when he is actually throwing and perhaps afterwards but nothing to major according to him. Thankyou!




14 year old baseball pitcher
1st Apr '05, 11:53am
The best thing to do is the Throwers Ten program, this should be implemented into his daily routine on days he is going to do any throwing at all. A google will show you the 10 exercises, continue with the scapular stabalization and make sure the therapist is working on his "core" strength, alot of times with young athletes arm problems occur because the athlete is throwing with just his arm and not his whole body. Hip and abdominal strength is important in the recovery.
I am a Physical Therapist in Frisco, TX and work with a lot of athletes that have similiar problems. The other thing is find a reputable throwing coach, not some guy that works at a indoor baseball facility that may have played a couple of years in the pros, but a guy that really knows the mechanics of pitching.
14 year old baseball pitcher
1st Apr '05, 12:31pm
Sjake, Thanks for the reply. He is feeling much better now but still is not doing much throwing, we are taking it easy I have always used common sense/caution in regards to throwing and pitching. his core is solid and his mechanics are good. Im not a p.t. but I am his throwing coach pretty much. Throwing biomechanics have been a passion of mine for the last 10 years or so. Unfortunately for me I didnt become a real student in this until after my college days. I was a pitcher as well as a track guy throwing the shot,disc and javelin on 2 different stints at the same college. Are you a throwing guy yourself? I really believe what you have stated in terms of finding the right guy to be honest thats why hes with me. So many people including expros have no idea in regards to how to throw a baseball. Its actually shameful many teach exactley what they didnt do because in reality they do not know they do not know. his p.t. guy is also not a thrower but he has been great in terms of rehabbing the whole shoulder girdle as a whole. Any more input would be greastly appreciated, thanks