Why you feel sore after you pitch and how to recover faster.
In our previous article we discussed how lactic acid is not responsible for the soreness you feel after throwing, so where does this soreness come from? It is caused by micro tearing in the muscles when you pitch. When throwing 85-100 pitches per start including pitches in the bullpen or when relievers have to get warmed up multiple times per game and still may never go in, it takes a toll on the arm. There is a tremendous amount of stress put on the arm when throwing due to the torques put on the elbow and shoulder. After hundreds and thousands of throws there is a lot of wear and tear put on the arm. Through proper biomechanics, strength and conditioning and recovery protocols there are ways to keep the arm healthy and get back on the mound without missing time.
There are many components that help with recovery. Today, we are going to talk about two: blood circulation and testosterone. After you pitch, you need to get new blood to the area to replenish the site of soreness to start the recovery process. Blood circulation is an important factor in recovery. The circulation of new blood to the site of soreness brings oxygen and nutrients, which help aid in the recovery process. An increase in testosterone also helps speed up the recovery process. Strength training is a natural way to increase testosterone levels. Training is a physiological stimulus for growth hormone to be secreted from the anterior pituitary gland, which helps raise testosterone levels. Testosterone also helps with muscle growth, as well as increased bone mass and density. Increases in muscle growth and bone density help decrease the risk of musculoskeletal injuries. A few examples we have our pitchers do to speed up the recovery process are sprint workouts, high intensity strength training and massage therapy.
There are many mobility, strength and recovery methods that can be used to speed up recovery time. You need to have a routine that is planned out everyday regardless if you pitch that day or not. Meet with your coach, trainer or strength and conditioning coach to develop a training/recovery protocol to ensure you are ready to go when it is your turn in the rotation! You have a small window of opportunity to play at the highest level. You cannot afford to waste time. You cannot get better if you are hurt!
-Adam Landecker
