At LiVE ARM we’ve studied and tested serious pitchers from high school to MLB for decades to understand that virtually ALL pitchers who compete at high levels are at risk for serious if not permanent injury. This is not news to the sport.
But here’s the GOOD news. We’ve mapped out what permanent injury actually looks like and have provided a roadmap for greatly reducing the risks (possibly even eliminating serious injury altogether for those willing to follow this suggested protocol).
Click the different phases above to see where you or your athlete are in the journey. Our greatest hope is that you’re arriving here before any irreversable damage has been done. Best to you on your baseball journey!
Dr. Andrisani
- Inexperienced but loving how good it feels to learn how to throw hard
- He/she realizes that they may have some real talent and want to work at it
“You have a nice arm. We’d like to try you at pitcher.”
There is really no need to use devices like LiVE ARM at this early stage.
- 2-3 days off a week from throwing is recommended
- The athlete starts seeing results
- Coaches start to count on him/her to pitch in big situations
- They may even start thinking about playing college or other types of serious, competitive ball
“ If you want to make it to the next level, you’ll need to start working with a pitching coach in the off-season.”
Athletes should start to use LiVE ARM to learn how and when their body fatigues.
- 2-3 days off a week from throwing is recommended however not realistic at this level
- Follow pitch counts and inning limits
- Thrower’s 10 program
- Focus on developing proper pitching mechanics
- Noticeable difference in performance – usually treated as “part of the game” and most try to “muscle through it”
- In most cases this early onset of injury is minor and can be managed by stretching and strength training which is why most people aren’t alarmed
- Most varsity level high school pitchers reach phase 3 – historically very few pitchers go back to phase 2 but with preventative care those numbers can improve
“ It’s just soreness – You will learn to distinguish between soreness and pain.”
- Thrower’s 10 program
- Focus on developing proper pitching mechanics
- May need professional guidance (PT, ATC, strength, conditioning coach, etc)
- This is NOT the time to be increasing velocity. Focus should be on getting body back to phase 2 health
Previously, no guidance is available. Guessing at your health becomes precarious at best, dangerous at worst.
- Certain muscles have not recovered from fatigue related injury
- Even physicians may refer to these injuries as “adaptations” (ie rotator cuff weaknesses, posterior capsule contracture, etc.)
- Scapula asymmetry becomes noticeable
- Muscle imbalances between throwing and non-throwing shoulders
- Most college pitchers reach phase 4 (the best hope here is to get back to phase 3) – continued professional/medical help
“ Pain is part of the game…”
“All pitchers deal with this…”
“It’ll go away during the off-season…”
When in this phase, athletes should use LiVE ARM to help guide recovery
It’s really important to the health of the pitcher to really start to pay attention to the fatigue data that a device like LiVE ARM provides so as to avoid injury that will cause a career to end sooner than it should.
- Injury has caused the athlete to take time off from pitching altogether
- The athlete is no longer training but rehabilitating under professional guidance (PT, ATC, strength, conditioning coach, etc)
- The dreaded POP usually happens in this phase
- Long recovery with rehab/possible surgery
- Consistent pain
- Loss of velocity
- Shoulder tightness
- No baseball for 4-16 months with hopes of getting back to either phases 3 or 4 professional/medical help
“Injuries are part of the game. Get yourself right and come back stronger.”
When in this phase, athletes should use LiVE ARM to help guide recovery
It’s really important to the health of the pitcher to really start to pay attention to the fatigue data that a device like LiVE ARM provides so as to avoid injury that will cause a career to end sooner than it should
- Injury has caused the athlete to take time off from pitching altogether
- The athlete is no longer training but rehabilitating under professional guidance (PT, ATC, strength, conditioning coach, etc)
- Athlete spends more and more time doing arm care exercises. At this point, they’re an expert in stretching, core strengthening, and pitching mechanics, but the amount of time it takes to recover after each outing won’t allow them to compete on a high level any longer.
- Psychological impact: fear of re-injury
- Career shortened or ended
- Never regains pre-injury performance level
“At least you got to live the dream…”
“Not everyone gets to say they played at this level…”
“Every pitcher runs out of bullets eventually…”
- Never certain if a pitcher can make it back from here. Many never do.
- Most likely the best you can get to is phase 4 (phase 3 if you’re lucky).
- Many injured pitchers move on to coaching or staying connected to baseball in other ways.
- The athlete now must end playing at a high level
- Injury has caused a situation where the body can no longer perform the way it once did