Training MLB Pitchers: Part 2 of Driveline Baseball Interview
Training Pitchers
Benjamin Chase, Call to the Pen: One of the big issues becoming more prominent since the increase in velocity is Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, which has to do with muscle build up due to overuse in a joint (usually seen in upper chest/shoulder area with pitchers or volleyball players). What (if anything) has Driveline found in training to counter this?
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Michael O’Connell, Driveline Baseball: We have a full time physical therapist, Terry Phillips (DPT), on staff who specializes in nerve issues of the back & neck. So athletes are going to get screened when they get to the gym and he is there to do check in’s throughout an athlete’s stay.
We aren’t quite sure why there is an increase in TOS in the last few years. It’s going to be a combination of a number of things, the best thing we can do is constantly screen and rescreen our athletes to see how our athletes are responding to the programming.
Though there is a good summary of TOS & performance implications that you can read here by Dr. Mike Sonne.
Next: Driveline Baseball Interview, Part 1
Thoughts:
The final piece is a big mystery in the game right now. Thoracic Outlet Syndrome has become a major issue. I covered this last fall here on Call To The Pen, and in the process of doing investigation on this topic, I happened upon talking with an orthopedic surgeon at Mayo Clinic, and he discussed how TOS is seen in volleyball players and also in certain manual laborers who do a lot of over-shoulder swinging with force. The discussion with the orthopedist led to him suggesting that a big thing for pitchers to do to help themselves would be to learn to work at less than maximum effort on each pitch. Of course, that’s easier said than done, but it is definitely something to consider.
We’ll be back with more this week!