02/16/2026
Ok. Here me out. When we throw under hand, the top of our humerus bone moves away from our acromium bone (a part of shoulder connected to our clavicle). When throwing fastballs with proper mechanics there isn’t a significant strain on the shoulder because the whip of the arm follows the direction of the hip. The wrist snap is released against the hard stop of the front side and the inertia that the pitcher’s body generated is partially translated to the ball until it reaches the catcher’s glove (or batter’s bat). But where does the rest of the energy go?
It settles into the hip and over time our bodies will develop soft tissue matrixes to protect the continuous “trauma” of impact. Now throw in curves and rise balls and we see injuries at the elbow. So while yes, in the short term pitchers can certainly throw several games a week or even a day (I absolutely did), there will be ramifications later. Shoulder impingements, hyperextended hip flexors, nerve damage, numbness in the hands and feet, and Davis’s Law settling in. It’s not a matter of if- it’s honestly a matter of when.
My oldest is starting to take interest in baseball pitching and it boggles my mind that I don’t see dynamic warmups and progressive drills like I experienced, see and offer.
Why do we protect our sons with pitch counts but push our daughters without hesitation?
Parents, protect your daughters. Find a coach that teaches solid mechanics- balanced posture, fluidity through whole motion. Find that coach that builds their confidence, encourages rest, and teaches them how to care for their bodies after all their intensive training and games.
And if you can’t find one- I would love to help.
-Coach A
