Why is throwing a baseball bad for your arm?

During the throwing motion, the olecranon and humerus bones are twisted and forced against each other. Over time, this can lead to valgus extension overload (VEO), a condition in which the protective cartilage on the olecranon is worn away and abnormal overgrowth of bone called bone spurs, or osteophytes, develop.

Is throwing a baseball bad for your arm?

The areas of the body most at risk for pitchers are the elbow and shoulder. With the elbow, the most common injuries are tendinitis, usually cured by rest, and damage to the ulnar collateral ligament, which requires surgery when it is torn.

Why is throwing a baseball bad?

This is of importance because as a thrower fatigues, the muscular or soft tissue contributions become less effective at protecting the arm. The ulnar collateral (Tommy John) ligament will see more of the stresses of throwing when the muscles fatigue, thus increasing the potential for injury.

Are fastballs bad for your arm?

The first, published in the April issue of Shoulder and Elbow surgery, suggests that throwing a greater percentage of fastballs places athletes at higher risk of sustaining elbow ligament injuries.

How do you throw a baseball without hurting your arm?

Stretch and warm up properly.

A good pitching motion utilizes major muscle groups throughout the body, so time should be taken to loosen and warm up more than just your arm before taking the pitching mound. That said, warming up your arm properly is essential to warding off soreness and injury.

Arm Pain Do's and Don'ts for Baseball Players

How do you build arm strength to throw a baseball?

Long toss is the commonly mentioned method to strengthening a baseball player's arm. "If you want to increase the strength in your arm, you've got to go throw," Keith Chatalein, a baseball trainer in Utah, said. It's a daily, 10-minute routine Garrido practices at Texas where players throw longer-than-normal distances.

Why does it hurt to hit a baseball?

Post-impact Vibrations for hits away from the sweet spot.

The reason bats sting is because the impact with the ball causes the bat to vibrate, and the vibrations in the handle can result in a painful sensation in the hands of the player holding the bat, especially in the top hand.

Does pitching destroy your arm?

As it does with the bicep tendon, the repeated motion of pitching can cause irritation in the rotator cuff, the foursome of muscles between your collarbone and your arm. Tendinitis in this spot can be felt both during pitching and at rest, depending on severity. It can also limit the shoulder's range of motion.

Should 13 year olds throw curve balls?

While the research has not conclusively shown a connection between curveballs and injuries; it is safest for young pitchers to avoid throwing curveballs until they are more mature and can use proper mechanics.

Should a 13 year old throw a curveball?

I recommend that a pitcher waits until his 14U season to begin learning a curveball. Then, at 14U and 15U, he can throw it in practice as much as he wants, then in games at 10-15% of his total pitches, with fastballs making up 60-70% and changeups making up the other 15-20%.

Why can't girls throw a baseball?

A new study from the University of Michigan found that girls 'aren't taught or don't learn the basic motor skills like throwing, running, jumping or dribbling'. The study also found that boys literally move around more than girls throughout the day.

Is it OK to throw baseball everyday?

Throw every day. Professional pitchers on both the minor and major league levels throw every single day for at least 10 quality minutes.

How hard should a 15 year old throw a baseball?

Average freshman pitcher (14 to 15 year old) cruising speed would be about 70 mph. Average cruising speed for a good high school pitching prospect at 14 to 15 years old would be about 75 mph.

How many times a week should you throw a baseball?

Once or twice a week, you may want to "air it out" with some long toss beyond 120 feet. That's up to you. But 10 quality minutes of throwing a day, and you're on your way to developing a great arm!

How often should a 13 year old pitch?

The league age pitch counts for Little League Baseball® are as follows: Ages 13-16 – 95 pitches per day. Ages 11-12 – 85 pitches per day. Ages 9-10 – 75 pitches per day.

What pitches are bad for your arm?

Offspeed/breaking pitches such as the curveball and slider have received so much attention and scorn in the last few years that they are part of the reason for an increase in arm injuries.

Do curveballs hurt your arm?

No studies found increased force or torque about the elbow or shoulder. Three epidemiologic studies showed no significant association between pitching a curveball and upper extremity pain or injury.

What is a safe age to throw a curveball?

So, what is the appropriate age? In regard to curveballs and sliders, I recommend a player wait until he is 13- or 14- years- old. It all depends on his physical maturation and muscular development. You want to avoid overloading the shoulder and elbow.

Why kids shouldn't throw curveballs?

The study of 149 pitchers under the age of 12 showed that players who did not follow pitch count limits had higher odds, ranging from 2.04–2.47, of developing elbow pain during a single season. Pitch type, specifically curveballs, remains one of the most controversial potential risk factors for arm pain/injury.

Which pitch is hardest on arm?

Sliders had the highest arm stress (54.6 ± 12.9 N·m) while curveballs had the lowest (46.8 ± 16.3 N·m). Fastball arm stress was 50.1 ± 16.8 N·m and changeup arm stress was 51.3 ± 15.5 N·m.

What is the most common injury in baseball?

The most common baseball injuries include mild soft tissue injuries, such as muscle pulls (strains), ligament injuries (sprains), cuts, and contusions (bruises). Although baseball is a non-contact sport, most serious injuries are due to contact — either with a ball, bat, or another player.

Why do pitchers wear hoodies?

Pitchers should keep a jacket on between innings (even during summer months) to keep the muscles from contracting during the cooling effect and to lessen the soreness felt the next day. Just remember...

What is the hardest skill in sports?

Boxing. The Sweet Science. That's the sport that demands the most from the athletes who compete in it. It's harder than football, harder than baseball, harder than basketball, harder than hockey or soccer or cycling or skiing or fishing or billiards or any other of the 60 sports we rated.

Is it harder to hit or pitch?

Pitching mechanics are harder than hitting mechanics. In order to throw hard, you need to have elite pitching mechanics. In order to become an elite level baseball player, you need to throw hard.

What hurts worse a softball or baseball?

In fact, out of a range of different types of baseballs, a softball hurts the most to get hit by.