Little league shoulder is an overuse injury seen in young baseball players that results from repetitive stress placed on the shoulder and humeral growth plates from overhead throwing. Over time, without sufficient rest time for healing of the tissues, the repetitive stress of throwing can cause the growth plate to become injured, inflamed, and even fracture in severe cases. Physical therapists play a key role in helping young athletes with little league shoulder recover, addressing muscle weaknesses, range of motion restrictions, and throwing mechanics with a targeted sport-specific therapeutic exercise program.

Softball is a dynamic modified form of baseball that is played on a smaller field with a larger, softer ball with underarm windmill pitching. The windmill pitch is an underhand throw that places significant stress on the shoulder and elbow of the athlete, which can lead to overuse injuries like shoulder and wrist tendinitis, rotator cuff tears, and elbow injuries. Physical therapists can help softball players prepare for the season with a targeted strength and conditioning program as well as treat in-season softball injuries with manual therapy, targeted strengthening and therapeutic exercise, and functional sport-specific training.

Check out our April 2023 Newsletter, highlighting the importance of prehabilitation before surgery, return to throwing using the rebounder, the role of nutrition after joint replacement surgery, and preventing knee pain during spring gardening.

Throwing injuries to the shoulder among baseball players are very common, often due to overuse and repetitive high stress of overhead throwing. Rehabilitation after a shoulder injury involves a gradual restoration of range of motion, strength, muscular endurance, dynamic stabilization, and neuromuscular control via targeted therapeutic exercise, manual therapy, rebounder therapy, and aquatic therapy. When preparing for a return to throwing, using the rebounder can be a highly effective way to prepare the shoulder gradually and safely for the dynamic act of throwing. Mangiarelli Rehabilitation physical therapist Bobby demonstrates a return to throwing progression using the rebounder to rehabilitate after a shoulder injury.