Pitching is dependent on the range of motion of the shoulder. To get a baseball to travel at speeds approaching 95-plus miles per hour or to impart enough spin to make the ball curve 8 to 12 inches, the muscles in your shoulder must allow the joint to accelerate and decelerate quickly. This can cause pain and sometimes lead to major injuries. However, when you learn pitching under the watchful eye of an experienced pitching coach, you can often avoid major injuries.
Shoulder Anatomy
Many pitchers suffer pain in the shoulder because there are so many moving parts and many of those parts are small and vulnerable. The shoulder is ball-and-socket joint. When the shoulder moves, it is the result of four small muscles pushing, pulling and rotating the shoulder. These four muscles are small and they make up the rotator cuff. When placed under stress or used improperly, these muscles can be damaged or torn.
Shoulder Soreness
Shoulder soreness is not a sign of a serious shoulder injury. However, it is often a sign of overuse. Pitchers should be monitored when they throw from the pitching mound. During the regular season, an adult pitcher may be able to throw 95 to 115 pitches comfortably in a game. However, pitchers don't throw that many pitches right from the start of the season. Most pitchers will gradually work up to that total after six weeks of spring training. Gradually increase your throwing level to avoid shoulder soreness that comes from overuse.
Rotator Cuff Tear
The rotator cuff muscles and the tendons that attach these muscles to the shoulder can be torn by an injury or through overuse, according to the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Rotator cuff tears often start out as shoulder stiffness or soreness. At this point, pitchers should be rested and given rehab exercises. Pitchers who try to "tough it out" or work through the pain can turn shoulder discomfort into a full-fledged tear. A small tear can usually be treated with rest followed by exercise but a larger tear may need surgery.
Impingement Syndrome
One of the more painful shoulder conditions is impingement syndrome. When a pitcher has this problem, the tendons attached to the rotator cuff muscles get caught under the head of the shoulder. When this occurs, the pitcher can feel a sharp pain from the pinching of the tendons. In most cases, ice, rest, anti-inflammatory medication and stretching exercises will help pitchers overcome this injury.
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