Every throw, swing of the bat, and pitch requires baseball players to rely on their shoulder and elbow to support their movement. Strong shoulders are critical for athletes to throw harder and safer. Given the importance of shoulder health, all baseball players should incorporate arm care routines into their strength and conditioning programs.
A baseball player will go through a throwing motion many times throughout a game or practice. The range of motion needed to pitch/throw is long and fast, where weight is loaded back in the arm and whipped forward. These heavy repetitions can cause injuries if the muscle cannot support the workload, causing the force to be absorbed by the joint The first part of any good arm care program is rest and recovery; over pitching and throwing will necessarily lead to overuse injuries. While stronger shoulders will be able to handle a greater volume of throws and activity, there is a limit.
Elbow/Shoulder Injuries are Common In Youth Athletes
Elbow and shoulder injuries are among the most common injuries sustained in baseball, with issues such as rotator cuff and labral tears and UCL injuries frequently affecting players. Pitchers and catchers are particularly vulnerable to these injuries due to the velocity and repetitions required in their positions. Research has highlighted these issues, with one study showing that 13.4% of youth players reported pain in the throwing shoulder and 26% of youth pitchers experienced elbow pain. These findings support the need for implementation of an arm care routine for all baseball athletes. Unfortunately, proper arm care is rarely emphasized at the youth level, where the focus tends to be on game mechanics rather than stretching and recovery. This lack of education often extends to the high school level, where players may begin basic weightlifting programs without enough knowledge of arm care. From personal experience, playing travel baseball throughout high school, I underwent this exact scenario and sustained injuries that directly resulted from overuse and improper care. I interviewed Kipp Youngquist, a former Division II baseball player at Winona State University, about how much emphasis was put on arm care prior to his collegiate level baseball. I found that he had a similar experience in youth baseball, and even suffered a tear to his UCL. He told me that “arm care wasn’t really stressed upon until I got to college, and I wish I had been doing it before.” We both agreed that introducing structured arm care routines at younger levels would not only improve performance but also help athletes stay healthy and on the field longer.
Arm Care Routine
Arm care routines should include shoulder stretching and flexibility as well as strengthening of the rotator cuff muscles and serratus anteriorThis routine should be used multiple times a week,and should target all areas of the arm. There are three parts to a successful arm care routine: 1) stretching 2) strengthening and 3) massage or muscle release.
T Spine Mobility
Check out some T-spine mobility drills here.
Strengthening:
Use bands with low resistance to start and build up from there. To do proper form, most people will use under 10lbs of band resistance. If you use too heavy of a band, you won’t use the correct muscles. Some examples of band strengthening exercises include:
Massage or Muscle Release:
Use a foam roller and lacrosse ball. Athletes can foam roll their upper back and lats. Using a lacrosse ball, you can get deeper into tight areas throughout the back. In addition, you can hit the chest by using a wall.
Interested in an arm care routine for yourself or your athlete? Send us a note through our website!
