Baseball is a game of strategy, finesse and power. The nature of the body mechanics in baseball makes your shoulders especially susceptible to injury. Pitchers are most likely to develop shoulder problems due to the repetitive motions involved in pitching, but any player on the diamond can injure his shoulder over time.
Shoulder Joint
Your shoulder is made up of a ball-and-socket joint similar to your hip. The difference between the two is that your shoulder is more loosely assembled than your hip, which gives you the range of motion to throw the ball hard. The problem is that soft tissue in the shoulder is responsible for keeping the joint stable during all the stress a baseball player puts on it.
Rotator Cuff
Your rotator cuff is a prime area for shoulder problems when you play baseball. The rotator cuff consists of four muscles that make a cuff around your shoulder socket. These muscles allow your arm to rotate, or move in a circular motion, for throwing the baseball. As a baseball player, you are susceptible to rotator cuff tendonitis, or inflammation of the rotator cuff, or a rotator cuff tear. Tendonitis often responds well to rest and ice, but a tear may require surgery to repair.
Subluxation
Shoulder subluxation is a condition where the shoulder partially slips out of the joint, then returns to its normal position. This can happen as a result of instability in the joint and surrounding muscles, brought on by fatigue.
Little League Shoulder
Little league shoulder is an issue that happens to kids whose growth plates are still open. The growth plate at the upper end of the humerus bone in the arm suffers a fracture, which results in a small separation of the growth plate. The whole situation is caused by a weak point in the bone because of stress likely brought on by overuse.
Labrum
The labrum is a ring of cartilage that fits around the shoulder socket, and is the attachment site for ligaments of your biceps and shoulders. Over time, stress on your labrum can cause swelling, irritation or a tear. A torn labrum requires surgery and physiotherapy to repair.
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