Pitching, throwing, and batting causes a repeated strain on a young athlete’s shoulder and elbow and, without proper training and technique, can cause injury that may require extensive rehabilitation or even surgery.
Issues such as fatigue, weakness, inflexibility, and poor timing can also lead to serious injury and even end a player’s career. Identifying risk factors can lead to improved mechanics, a reduced risk of injury, and can also improve accuracy and velocity.
Baseball Services
Video Pitching Analysis
When pitching, the shoulder can rotate as fast as 7,000 degrees per second causing a repeated amount of torque on a young athlete’s elbow. Video pitching analysis allows our sports medicine physical therapist to identify issues with mechanics and develop a plan of recommended exercises or drills to help reduce the
errors. In addition to a personal results consultation, pitchers are given a video of their technique and a printout of the analysis to review with their coaches and instructors
During a pitching analysis, one of the CHKD sport medicine physical therapists records high-speed video that breaks down pitching technique from multiple angles at 300 frames per second – capturing elements of the throwing motion unseen by the human eye. The video is then analyzed using the state-of-the-art Dartfish motion analysis software.
- Pitching Analysis Package: $150 (Includes video pitching analysis, results consultation and injury risk assessment)
Throwing Performance Assessment
Identifying risk factors associated with injury can not only decrease injury rates, but also help improve the overhead athletes performance; even increase velocity. Athletes are 3-5 times more likely to be injured due to muscle imbalance, losses in shoulder
motion, and deficits in the rotator cuff musculature. The performance assessment objectively assesses for these risk factors, allowing identification of impairments that can lead to inefficiencies in the throwing delivery. Contact our baseball program coordinator now, to get your performance assessment scheduled and your overhead throwing athlete on a better path to
success. Team and individual assessments and screenings are available. Contact
Sara Stites or
Lane Wildman for scheduling and pricing.
Injury Risk Screening
Includes evaluation of shoulder and elbow range of motion and strength, flexibility issues, muscle imbalances and strength deficits that can lead to injury; risk assessment and individualized home program. This is a FREE service.
Off-Season Performance and Power Program - baseball-specific fitness training
Eight week program consisting of twice weekly training sessions emphasizing the movements required for baseball performance, lower body rotational and linear power and core utilization for more explosive hitting and throwing.
Tough Cuff Class- injury prevention for the rotator cuff
The rotator cuff is a group of tendons and muscles in the shoulder, connecting the upper arm to the shoulder blade. The tendons provide stability to the shoulder while the muscles allow the shoulder to rotate in overhead task such as throwing, hitting and swimming. This 8-week shoulder strengthening and stabilization
program consists of twice-weekly sessions designed for throwing or overhead athletes. This program addresses the needs of any overhead athlete by targeting the small muscles of the shoulder with high EMG (electrical activity) activation exercises as well as functional tasks that utilize the shoulder
muscles in the way they will perform on the field, court or pool.
- $150 per person (minimum of 4 participants)
- $1250 per team (maximum 15 participants)
Iron Arm Package - injury prevention and performance for baseball players
This program is designed to improve performance while reducing the risk of shoulder and elbow injuries. Includes:
- Initial shoulder and elbow injury risk screening
- video analysis of pitching mechanics
- 8-week personalized arm care home program
- 8-weeks of individualized baseball-specific personal training (16 sessions)
- Final risk re-assessment at program conclusion including an ongoing home maintenance program.
- $600 per person
Form more information, pricing, and scheduling of any
baseball program please email Sara Stites, PT, DPT, ACT, or Lane Wildman, PT, DPT, Baseball Program Coordinator, or call (757) 668-2733.