Windmill Pitch a Risk to Pitcher's Health?

Please read the article from the attached link. I would like to read some comments on what other coaches/parents/players think about this.

www.reuters.com/article/healthNews/idUSTRE53252D20090403

 

I Agree 100% With The Article

I remember listening 5 or so years ago to a couple of young doctors at a clinic, who had worked under Dr. Andrews in Birmingham, say that they felt strongly that fastpitch pitchers should have pitch counts, etc. just like baseball pitchers. It was their contention that the data on fastpitch players was just then beginning to be compiled. They did not buy into the old saying that the fastpitch motion was a "natural" motion.

I also remember listening to Theresa Wilson (now AZ's pitching coach) speak at the Bandits clinic. She felt that girls that pitch with the "backswing" have more injuries than pitchers that don't have the backswing. That was based strictly on her observation of injuries to Pac 10 pitchers.

I know of several pitchers, including one high level D-1 commit, that have had arm/shoulder issues (tendinitis, etc) as 15-18 year olds. Thankfully, none have required any surgery, just rest and rehab. The doctors told those kids that it was due to "over use". They also recommended that they continue to work on their core strength, in order to help the shoulder/arm.

 

Insufficient counter muscle development leads to shoulder injuries.
Improved warm up and stretching and warm down techniques will help to reduce injuries - this is still an immature part of the training.

The growth and improvement of the pitching will reveal more injuries as pitchers get stronger and pitch more AND will also reveal newer and improved training for reducing injuries...

Still though, I hear more injuries to knees in pitchers doing non-pitching activities.

 

you forgot one...

....folks do not realize too how important proper physical conditioning is until they hear something go POP! There are muscles you do not realize that if properly conditioned will help protect the others. Good teaching, good mechanics, and proper conditioning should go a long way to help prevent injuries, and nothing stupid like running hurdles on a hardwood gym floor (oops, there goes a knee). JMHO.

 

In a related story, people that eat a lot tend to buy larger pants than those who don't. Could it be coincidence???? Perhaps. (story at 11...)

 

Are you saying that people who eat a lot, shouldn't exercise so that they might not have to wear bigger pants?

 

In this day and time there will be a study that finds that anything you do is bad for you and causes problems. You exercise to much it hurts you, you don't exercise enough it hurts you. Too many useless studies if you ask me. If you play sports your gonna have injuries long term and short term. Could just put everyone in a bubble when they're born and have them live their life out there.

 

I don't want to die healthy. And that's just ONE of the ways I don't want to die.

The article comes up a little short. More information would be nice. The injuries I've seen don't seem to fit the pattern in the article. Anyone have any experience with that type of injury and steps for prevention? Specific conditioning?

 

A lot more research is needed

I read the original article. We need more research like this and there would be more if there $100K signing bonus awaiting our pitcher DD's like their baseball counterparts. Someone mentioned Theresa Wilson at Arizona. She was fired @ U of Washington several years ago because of a scandal involving the team Dr. and pain killers. Her current pitcher, Akamine, is pitching the WCWS with a partially torn labrum and cortisone injections. I doubt Tony Gwynn would be pitching his #1 draft choice at SDSU in that condition. We are all in denial when we send a 13-year-old girl to circle for 25 innings in 36 hours in travel ball. There is no question that this kind of use puts these girls' orthopedic health in jeopardy.