Little League shoulder, also known as proximal humeral epiphysitis, is a common overuse injury that affects young baseball players, typically between the ages of 11 and 15. It is characterized by pain and discomfort in the shoulder joint, specifically in the upper arm bone (humerus) near the growth plate.
Mark Bouma, PT takes readers through the areas to watch out for while raking leaves. The fall changes in the PNW is a time of beautiful color but also typically wet and heavy leaves.
Patellofemoral pain is largely a diagnosis of exclusion. There can be many causes of knee pain and it is important for your healthcare provider to properly assess your individual condition. Many individuals have anterior knee pain with prolonged sitting with flexed knees.
There are three common provocative diagnostic tests that are most closely correlated with patellofemoral joint pain:
Squatting
Climbing Stairs
Eccentric Step-Down Test
Research has linked several key factors that may contribute to an individual developing patellofemoral pain. These factors are not present in everybody who has symptoms, but there are often impairments in one or more of these areas found during a physical therapy exam.
Victor Kollar, PT takes you through the areas to think about as you get ready for your annual turkey bowl football game.
In the ever-evolving world of fitness, CrossFit has emerged as a dynamic and intense workout regimen that captivates enthusiasts seeking a combination of strength, endurance, and functional workout. While it has gained popularity rapidly over the last decade, there is a large amount of misinformation and preconceptions regarding it as a means of physical activity. As a physical therapist, my aim is to provide you with a holistic view of CrossFit—highlighting its benefits, potential drawbacks, and the role of physical therapy in your health journey.
What is a bone stress injury (BSI) and how do I know I have one? How long will it take to get me back to running? As a physical therapist who treats a lot of runners and as a lifelong runner myself, I have always had a passion for keeping runners running. The act of running can make someone’s day tick along better, can help with consistent sleep, calm the nerves and can even make a runner more fun to be around. It can be social or an act of solitude. It can be alarming for a runner when they start to experience a nagging pain that doesn’t warm up or even worsens as they run. Pain that doesn’t dissipate with a warm-up routine or is vague at first but then becomes localized or intensifies through the run can be a sign of a bone stress injury or BSI. BSI is a general term indicating mechanical load is exceeding the bone’s structural ability to withstand the load. However, BSIs occur on a continuum. One end of that continuum is a stress reaction, the other end can be stress fracture or even a full fracture of the bone. The runner recognizes this as pain that isn’t normally present. BSIs can occur for many reasons whether due to biomechanics or from a nutritional standpoint or a combination of both. As high-school and college cross-country runners prepare now for this upcoming season, they should be aware of the common causes and ways to prevent bone stress injuries.
Disc golf is an up and coming sport that saw incredible growth through the pandemic. Disc golf is hailed for its accessibility, ease of understanding, and relaxed pace. It can be played alone or in a group. At its core, the goal of disc golf is to get a disc (AKA frisbee) into a basket in the fewest strokes possible. Many of the game’s rules are pulled from traditional golf.
Integrating weighted balls into a pitching routine can be an effective way to improve arm strength, velocity, and overall pitching performance. Here's a general guideline on how to incorporate weighted balls into your routine:
Consult with a professional: Before incorporating weighted balls into your routine, it's essential to consult with a pitching coach or a sports medicine professional who can assess your current abilities and provide guidance on the appropriate weight and progression for your specific needs.
Start with a warm-up: Begin your pitching routine with a thorough warm-up to prepare your muscles and joints for the increased stress of throwing weighted balls. Perform dynamic stretches, light cardio exercises, and arm-specific warm-up exercises to increase blood flow and flexibility.
Progress gradually: Begin with lighter weighted balls and gradually increase the weight over time. It's important not to start with weights that are too heavy, as this can lead to injury. A recommended progression might be to start with balls around 4-6 ounces and gradually increase to 8-10 ounces.
Focus on proper mechanics: Throughout your pitching routine, maintain proper pitching mechanics. The added weight of the balls may change the feel and timing of your delivery, so it's crucial to concentrate on maintaining a smooth and efficient motion. Work with a coach or use video analysis to ensure your mechanics are not compromised.
Incorporate specific drills: Use a variety of pitching drills that specifically target different aspects of your mechanics and arm strength. For example, you can incorporate long-toss drills with weighted balls to improve arm strength and distance, or use weighted balls during bullpen sessions to work on pitch command and velocity. However, ensure that you don't exclusively rely on weighted balls and include regular pitching with standard baseballs as well.
Pay attention to recovery: Pitching with weighted balls places increased stress on your arm and shoulder. Allow adequate time for recovery between sessions to avoid overuse injuries. Incorporate proper rest, stretching, and strengthening exercises for the shoulder and arm into your routine. Listen to your body, and if you experience any pain or discomfort, consult a professional.
Monitor progress: Track your progress over time by measuring factors like velocity, accuracy, and overall pitching performance. Keep a record of your pitching sessions and note any changes or improvements you observe. This feedback will help you make adjustments to your routine as needed.
Remember, integrating weighted balls into your pitching routine should be done carefully and progressively to minimize the risk of injury. Consulting with a professional and maintaining proper technique are crucial for safe and effective implementation.
Chances are that you have heard the term Little League elbow. Most have encountered
it in the media, during youth playing days, or from their own children. As a medical
provider specializing in youth throwing and overhead athletes (baseball, softball, tennis,
etc.), I’d like to provide some clarity around something that is commonplace yet poorly
understood. This article answers the questions: Should Kids Throw Curve Balls in Little League?
As we approach early March, it may seem difficult to believe, but baseball and softball season is rapidly approaching. Before you know it, the local diamonds will be full of kids, teens, and so on, playing the game they love. With the excitement of the beginning of the season looming, a common question that may come up for parents is “How can I get my child ready for this upcoming season?” This can be a particularly difficult thing to navigate for parents and children alike as there are many opinions they can get from coaches, teammates, doctors, and so on. The goal of this article is to provide a clear set of principles that parents and coaches can use to guide their child’s preparation for this upcoming spring.
In the baseball world, the most common injuries sustained by the throwing arm are well publicized. Rotator cuff and labral tears as well as Tommy John surgery have gotten a lot of focus over the years as major potential risks throwing athletes face as they continue their athletic careers. One of the less commonly discussed injuries which can nevertheless have serious implications is thoracic outlet syndrome. Thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) is a unique condition which many baseball athletes have experienced at some point in their careers. This article will discuss what thoracic outlet syndrome is, how it can impact a throwing athlete’s career, and what can be done to treat it.
Before I explain why, lets briefly get on the same page with a definition for Early Sport Specialization (ESS). Typically ESS refers to year-round (for at least 8 months) intensive training or competition in an organized sport by young athletes (<12 years of age) while excluding all other sports.
Injury Risk
One of the most studied problems with early specialization is increased injury risk compared to peers. The biggest factor contributing to this increased risk was participation in any individual sport for greater than 8 months of the year3. This is especially true in baseball pitchers where pitching for more than 8 months per year was correlated with a 500% increase in risk for Tommy John surgery. (I discuss this and other risk factors for UCL injury in my blog “Minimizing the Risk for UCL Injuries in Throwers” *hyperlink). Across all sports there is an increased injury risk of 1.81 times in highly specialized athletes compared to their multi-sport peers5.
The Biomechanics of the baseball throw:
Baseball fans thrive on interesting facts and statistics, but out of all of these facts, the science behind throwing a baseball has to be the most fascinating. The way that an elite athlete’s body can act as a coiled spring, transmitting the necessary forces to turn a baseball into an eye-blur is truly awe-inspiring. During the throw the elbow functions as a hinge joint, going through rapid extension at about 2400°/s for a professional pitcher. (Which is the equivalent of saying that in 1 second the arm could whip around 360° nearly 7 times). Accelerating to this incredible speed places a force on the Ulnar Collateral Ligament (UCL) of your elbow reaching 64Nm (nearly 50lbs).4 Not surprisingly, there is some fallout over time due to the transmission of this high force.
