Most people view health as the absence of pain. However, research shows that the human body can tolerate an immense amount of stress, even to the point of sustaining injury, WHILE REMAINING ASYMPTOMATIC (without pain).
One study looking at baseball players found that an amazing 40% had a partial tear of their rotator cuff, yet were PAIN FREE (1). Another study (2) performed MRI's on people with NO back pain, and found a full 82% had some degree of abnormality in their backs, ranging from slipped discs to herniated discs.
These studies confirm what those who've worked with real world populations know: if the underlying issues many athletes carry around aren't managed or addressed, it's simply a matter of time before enough stress accumulates to cause pain, and for the athlete to get an MRI-to reveal what was already there. Many athletes are simply waiting for enough stress to accumulate for the body to become symptomatic.
This is what I call the "injury honeymoon". If a pitcher has any degree of talent and is throwing decently hard, but isn't wise enough to manage his arm properly, he may get away with it for a time-but inevitably the body eventually breaks down and injury occurs.
There's two major factors to managing arm health:
Avoiding overuse: Research shows that pitching more than 100 innings in a year = 3x greater risk of injury, while pitching more than 8 months per year = 5x greater risk of injury. Pitchers need an offseason from the endless cycle of showcases, tournaments and camps!
Redistributing stress: repeatedly throwing a baseball at high velocities isn't healthy for the shoulder. So it becomes critical that every time a pitcher throws, stress on the shoulder is redistributed. For the pitcher that has built strength in his lower body, hips and upper back, stress is re-distributed amongst those muscle groups. However, for the legions of small and physically weak pitchers, the stress of throwing is placed squarely on the rotator cuff. The cuff quickly fatigues and gets overwhelmed, and the elbow begins picking up the slack.
Of course if you don’t throw very hard, there is less stress on each throw compared to someone throwing low to mid 90’s. Your arm will be able to handle more abuse, it's just you'll be out of the sport very quickly due to lack of performance.
While no training program can guarantee you'll never be injured, applying yourself with a consistent, smart program certainly reduces the odds. Even more importantly, developing your strength and size will result in SUSTAINABLE increases in velocity. F=MxA, and a stronger version of you will not only handle the stress of throwing better, but YOU will throw 5oz harder than YOU used to throw it!
-Fenske
References:
Connor PM et al. Am J Sport Medicine 2003 Sep-Oct. Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Asymptomatic Shoulder of Overhead Athletes
Jensen MC, et al N Engl J Med. 1994. Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Lumbar Spine in people without back pain.
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