10/12/2024
Two often-overlooked muscles in the throwing motion for overhead athletes are the pectoralis major and minor (pecs). When these muscles are tight and lack flexibility, they can cause pain in the front of the shoulder during a throw.
High school athletes frequently engage in weight training programs that heavily emphasize the pecs through exercises like bench press, dumbbell press, and push-ups. While these exercises build strength, overemphasis on pec development can be problematic for throwing athletes. When the pecs become disproportionately stronger than other shoulder and back muscles, they pull the arm forward and inward in the shoulder socket, leading to mobility issues, inefficiencies in the throwing motion, and pain.
The biggest concern for overhead athletes, like pitchers, is how tight pecs affect the rotator cuff, a group of four smaller muscles responsible for shoulder and arm rotation. Tight pecs can cause the arm to rotate inward, overstretching the rotator cuff muscles, which increases the risk of injuries such as tendonitis or a rotator cuff strain.
Many baseball players suffer from these injuries due to improper strength training. Often, the real issue—tight pecs—goes unnoticed, and injuries are treated without addressing the underlying cause.
The solution is to reduce the emphasis on pectoral strength while increasing flexibility, combined with strengthening the middle trapezius muscles between the shoulder blades. This helps restore shoulder balance and function. Working with a physical therapist or strength coach can further develop a balanced upper-body training program.
Signs of tight pecs include chest pain near the armpit or shoulder, tightness in the front of the shoulder during the layback position in throwing, and poor posture with rounded shoulders.
Here are three exercises to help loosen tight pecs and reset the shoulder:
• Open Books (5 reps, 5 sec hold, each side)
• Doorway Pec Stretch in 3 Positions (3 reps, 15 sec hold, each position)
• Scapular Retractions (10 reps, 2 sec hold)
