Pitching is an athletic activity that uses numerous muscles and subjects your body to awkward positions. Among the many injuries and ailments that pitchers suffer is a strain of the external oblique muscle. The rapid and forceful motions required in pitching place tremendous stress on the oblique muscle. Even absent a strain, throwing up to 100 pitches per game can cause an overuse injury, resulting in inflammation and pain.
The Oblique Muscles
The oblique muscles consist of paired muscles on both sides of your abdomen that allow you to bend and rotate your upper body. The oblique muscles lie in two layers: the superficial or outermost is the external oblique, and underneath it lies the internal oblique. The fibers of these muscles run diagonally from your lower ribcage to the top of your pelvis.
Pitching Mechanics
The pitching motions involved when you wind up and throw a baseball involve a strenuous rotation of the torso that requires contraction of the external oblique muscle on the side opposite your throwing arm followed by contraction of the external oblique muscle on the same side as your throwing arm. This motion transfers torque from your legs, through your torso, to your throwing arm.
Oblique Muscle Injuries in Pitching
The most common form of injury to the oblique muscles from pitching is an overuse injury, characterized by mild inflammation and moderate discomfort. Overuse injuries can occur in any muscle when it is subjected to constant repetitive motion without adequate rest. A more serious injury is a muscle strain, in which fibers of your oblique muscles actually tear.
Treating Oblique Injuries
To treat injuries of the oblique muscles, rest is essential. Alternating applications of hot and cold packs and the administration of anti-inflammatory medications can help speed recovery. Surgical repair usually is not required.
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