Prepping for Next Season

Tips from an Athletic Trainer

By Stephanie Bechard, CHS Intern

Did you know that it takes an athlete about six weeks to get his/her musculature in shape to meet the demands of baseball and softball season, especially for pitchers?

Properly training prior to the season is important because the most common injuries in these sports happen as a result of either overuse in the muscles and tendons around the shoulder and elbow or inadequate recovery time for the muscles and tendons between bouts of exercise.

“To protect themselves, it is imperative for all athletes, especially for pitchers, to prepare their musculature for the demands of throwing,” said Tim Uhl, Ph.D., ATC, PT, Division of Athletic Training.

Whether you have kinds in little league or play in a league yourself, it is important to know how you can prevent injuries and prepare for a healthy season. So, what exercises are the best for getting baseball and softball athletes’ arms in shape? Dr. Uhl recommends a few simple exercises to help minimize injury occurrence and possibly improve throwing performance.

Exercises

Begin with a light warm-up such as jumping jacks, arm circles, abdominal crunches, bike riding or jogging. The purpose of a warm-up is to increase the body?s temperature, which makes the muscles more pliable. You have adequately warmed up when you have just begun to break a sweat (usually after about ten minutes).

Once you have finished warming up, you are then ready to begin exercises specifically aimed at strengthening shoulder and scapular musculature. These exercises are three position rows, 90/90 exercise and diagonal exercises. Perform each exercise with two sets of ten repetitions for approximately two weeks. Then increase each exercise to three sets of fifteen repetitions. Once you have mastered these exercises with no resistance, you may then add low resistance elastic bands, which can be purchased at most sport equipment stores, to your routine. Be cautious of using a band with too heavy of a resistance as this will result in not targeting the rotator cuff and scapular muscles. Additionally, it is important to perform this program three times a week in order to receive benefit from these exercises.

After you have completed the program, it is important to then stretch. It is particularly important to stretch the muscles in the back of the shoulder. To do this, with one arm reach across your body, grasp your opposite elbow and pull it across your body. Repeat with the opposite arm and elbow. Hold the stretch for 20 ? 30 seconds being sure not to cause shoulder pain. Alternate stretching each arm and repeat this stretch three times.

Three Position Rows

Attach the elastic band at shoulder level into a door that will not be opened during your exercises or a chain link fence. Grab both ends of the band in both hands and step back so that there is slight tension in the elastic. All three exercises are started with your arms at shoulder level. For the first position (a low row), pull your hands toward your thighs, keeping your arms straight and pinching your shoulder blades back toward your spine. Hold this position for three seconds before slowly releasing back to the starting position.

For the second position (a mid row), as you pull the elastic band, bend your elbows and pull your hands back to just above your waist, while again pinching your shoulder blades back toward your spine. Hold this position for three seconds before slowly releasing back to the starting position.

For the third position (high row), pull the elastic band back keeping your arms at shoulder level, remembering to pinch your shoulder blade back. Hold this for three seconds and release.

90/90

Stand facing the door or fence where the elastic band is still attached at shoulder level. Grasp the band in one hand with your elbow bent to 90 degrees and your arm elevated directly out to the side (abducted) and pull the band back in a straight line while keeping your elbow at shoulder level. Hold for three seconds and slowly return to the starting position. It is very important to slowly release the band back to the starting position on a four count because this exercise strengthens all the muscles used to decelerate your arm when you throw. Repeat this exercise, this time facing away from the door.

Diagonal exercises

Place the elastic band at the bottom of the door or ground level of a fence. Grasp the band in one hand while still facing the door so that your arm crosses your body but your feet turn away from the door and you are standing diagonal to the door. Lift your arm up and cross your body so that your hand is above your head with your elbow straight and you have rotated your hand so that thumb is pointing up toward the ceiling (as if you were pulling out a sword). Hold this position for three seconds before slowly lowering your arm back to the starting position on a four count. As in the 90/90 exercises, it is very important to slowly release the band back to the starting position on a four count because this exercise strengthens all the muscles used to decelerate your arm when you throw.

Next attach the elastic band at the top of the door. Stand facing away from the door, reach up above your head and, grasping the band, pull it down across your body as if you were throwing a ball except keep your arm straight. This time you have rotated your hand so that your thumb is pointing downward when the band is stretched out. Hold this position for three seconds before slowly releasing back to the starting position. This exercise strengthens the muscles in the front of your shoulder.

Wrap-up

As with any exercise program, start slow. If you have any questions about exercising, Dr. Uhl recommends contacting your health care provider who can help design an individualized program for you.

View Tim Uhl’s Faculty Profile.

For more information about the Athletic Training, visit www.mc.uky.edu/athletic_training