![]() I know the photo isn’t great, but it was taken from a grainy slow-motion video she sent as we worked together. ![]() What happens when the elbow angle gets larger than 90? Basically the stress on the elbow and shoulder increase because the lever–the arm–is effectively larger. Acceptable elbow angle for a baseball pitcher Yet, observing elite baseball and softball players reveals that most infielders and catchers throw with an elbow angle in the 60-80 degree range. What the research shows is that angles GREATER than 90 tend to increase stress, and angles MUCH lower than 90 increase stress. Observable angles in high-level (college and pro) position players is typically (but not always) less than 90 degrees. So following this 90 degree guideline is a good idea with one exception: The elbow angle should be +/- 90 degrees according to research on baseball pitchers. Softball Throwing Flaw #1: Poor Elbow Angle A good elbow angle for a softball player The flaws below are NOT my opinion–they follow the research guidelines of the American Sports Medicine Institute. What we learn from baseball research is definitely applicable to softball. The demands are slightly different in softball–as is the ball itself–but the throwing motion is no different for a baseball infielder than a softball infielder. Why? Because Major League Baseball loses millions of dollars each year on injured pitchers.įortunately, the biomechanics are not very different from pitching to position throwing, and women throw in the same way as men do. Pretty much all of the research done on overhand throwing is done on baseball pitchers. Three Common Mechanical Flaws That Cause Pain The goal is to inform you as to possible causes and things that correlate with pain, and exercises that can help ward it off, but are in no way guarantee or implied to do so. Pain should always be brought to the attention of a doctor and any advice in this article is general and not specific to your individual case. Please Note! I am not a doctor and am NOT diagnosing or prescribing any cures in this article. In part 2, we’ll cover strength issues that can cause or prevent pain: In this article, we’ll touch on the following: Pain is NOT part of the game, and it should be address by a physical therapist, doctor, and a coach who can help improve throwing mechanics for the long haul. This is the first thing you should realize–as a parent, coach or player. No matter how good a player’s mechanics might be, overuse injuries will still happen if you play an excessive amount of games. I highly recommend watch this video of mine that goes into the process for figuring out arm pain. Make sure you’re considering this as well before any of the mechanical issues in this article. Sure – too many games can definitely cause pain in and of itself–overuse is a chief cause of softball throwing injuries. Some parents, players and coaches hold onto the idea that as a high-level player who plays lots of games, some amount of pain is normal.įALSE! Throwing through pain is NEVER normal. FIRST! A Player Should Never Be in Pain Throwing a Softball. ![]() When part two is complete, it will be linked here. This article on throwing pain in fastpitch softball players is a two-parter. Learn how you can potentially ward off pain while throwing a softball in this article. Typically, this is due to a few factors–poor throwing mechanics, a weak shoulder, a poor throwing progression, or more. It’s not uncommon for softball players to have pain while throwing. *This article may contain product links which pay me a small commission if you make a purchase. ![]()
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