As summer approaches, whether you are a competitive athlete or an enthusiastic weekend baseball player, your shoulder is the most critical tool in your arsenal. It’s also one of the most likely parts of your body to get injured. Unfortunately, many players get sidelined by preventable overuse injuries. The good news is that you can gradually prepare your shoulders for the stress of the game.
Learn from our expert, Dr. Thomas Kane III, some of the ways you can excel this summer without fearing injuries.
Your shoulder is part of an intricate system that allows your arm to move. However, the throwing movement, especially when done with force, requires the rotator cuff muscles to work overtime to keep the ball of your humerus centered in the socket. If these muscles are weak and you frequently perform throwing motions, you are at risk of developing labral tears, rotator cuff tendonitis, or impingement syndrome.
To prevent tears and allow your tendons and ligaments to adapt to the explosive forces of throwing, gradually increase distance and intensity over several weeks. This builds strength and helps prevent acute injuries.
Your shoulder blade (scapula) is the foundation of your arm. If the muscles surrounding the scapula are weak or rigid, your shoulder joint has to work harder to compensate. Incorporate rowing movements into your warm-up to gently activate your muscles, become more flexible, and grow stronger over time.
Throwing a ball is the result of a full-body movement. Power starts in your legs, travels through your core, and is finally delivered through your shoulder. This chain of events matters because if you have tight hips or a weak core, other muscles must overcompensate to complete the movement. In throwing motions, the muscles that overcompensate are often those around the shoulder.
To avoid “ruptures in the chain,” spend time stretching and warming up the lower body so you reduce pressure on your shoulder.
Pain is your body’s diagnostic tool. A dull ache that disappears after warming up may indicate mild inflammation, but sharp pain, clicking, or loss of strength are signs that your shoulder could benefit from medical evaluation. Continuing to throw while ignoring pain can further destabilize and injure your shoulder, leading to complications.
If your goal is to stay on the field but you are experiencing discomfort or reduced range of motion, contact us to schedule an appointment at our office in Honolulu, Hawaii. Early diagnosis and treatment can help prevent minor issues from becoming season-ending injuries.
