Strength in Numbers #201 For too many elite-level pitchers, this simple statement feels impossible to say.  Not to mention, when they do communicate pain, trust your gut that their arm hurts way more than what they are letting on. We have been indoctrinated into being tough, not being a quitter, not being selfish – these…

Strength in Numbers #200 (Read Hitting Injuries Part 1) We need an integrated approach for preventing throwing arm injuries, but we must have the same level of scrutiny, care, and concern for the other arm.  For some, that lead arm is the throwing arm, and going down with a hitting injury to the throwing…

Strength in Numbers #199 Superior Labrum Anterior and Posterior (SLAP) tears are not exclusive to pitchers; position players, especially hitters, are also susceptible. The lead shoulder (left shoulder for right-handed batters) endures significant stress during the swing, making it vulnerable to such injuries.   While in professional baseball, one of my biggest worries was Shohei Ohtani. …

Strength in Numbers #198 Power. Stability. Longevity. These three words define the foundation of a high-performing, durable baseball player, particularly pitchers.   In part one, we touched on vertical jump testing and how contraction elements, particularly the loading component of the jump, are impactful for the delivery.  One thing that must be acknowledged is that although…

Strength in Numbers #196 No doubt – my career and aim in the game couldn’t have happened without my elbow being touched by fire and as big as a softball at 11 years old.  Extreme Little Leaguer’s Elbow is an understatement.  The pediatric orthopedic surgeon looked me dead in the face and said, “I am…

Strength in Numbers #195 Part 1 introduced referred pain.  It’s complete and utter pain, confusion. It baffles many players, coaches, parents, sports medicine experts, and specialized psychologists, who all converge on trying to identify the source. It's frustrating for everyone when it is recurring and doesn’t let up. The convergence of pain signals, long-lasting inflammation,…

Strength in Numbers #194 I am getting back to pain as we are in a warzone.  I keep saying our platform represents the pain of discipline, so our athletes avoid the pain of disappointment.  The beginning of the season has the highest injury incidence across all sports. Still, top to bottom, baseball sees more throwing…

Strength in Numbers #193 Pain is an essential part of the human experience—it serves as a warning system, signaling injury or potential harm. Pain is an ever-present challenge for athletes, especially throwing athletes like pitchers and quarterbacks. Understanding how we sense pain, factors that influence pain tolerance, and strategies to manage pain can be the…

Strength in Numbers #192 Vertical jump testing is a widely recognized measure of lower-body power and overall athleticism. While commonly associated with sports like basketball and volleyball, recent research has explored its relevance to baseball pitchers, particularly concerning throwing velocity and potential injury risks. At Louisiana Tech, we have a baseball science undertaking that is…

Strength in Numbers #191 Superior Labrum Anterior to Posterior (SLAP) tears are injuries to the shoulder's labrum, a cartilage ring surrounding the shoulder joint's socket. These injuries are particularly prevalent among throwing athletes due to the repetitive overhead motions inherent in sports like baseball and softball. Management of SLAP tears typically involves either surgical intervention…