Sore arm?

This doesn't happen to me very often, but I see a LOT of guys holding their upper throwing arms in agony sometimes during and after intense games. I'm sure you've all experienced this at some point or another.

I spoke with my chiropractor here in Toronto yesterday and asked her for some tips I could share with you about what to do when you get a sore arm, and how to prevent it from happening. This is what Doctor Barb had to say:

"Maintaining a healthy posture is the best way to prevent injury when throwing hard. Your arm and shoulder function best when the nerves in your neck and midback are free of interference.
There are important steps that any athlete can take to help minimize the risk of injury. Always stretch before and after exercise. It is important to include “dynamic stretching” in your routine. These stretches should mimic activities involved in subsequent exercise.

Great examples for throwing arms:(Great info available at www.sportsinjuryclinic.net)
- Pendulum exercises: gently swing the arm forwards, backwards and sideways, gradually increasing the range of motion
- Front of the shoulder in a doorway stretch: place one arm in a doorway and move forwards leaving the arm behind to stretch the front of the shoulder. - Front of shoulder against a wall: place one arm at a fixed point and gently turn away from it to stretch the front of the shoulder, hold for 20 seconds.
- Back of shoulder: place arm across the front and pull it tight with the other, until you feel gentle stretch at the back of the shoulder.
- Stand with feet astride, lean forward at hips, letting arms hang loosely down. Let both arms swing forward and back as loosely as possible. At the end of the forward swing, twist wrist outward
– swing back and twist wrist inward at the backward end of the swing (long, slender figure eight figure)
- Stand the same as above, but lean a little further forward: arms still hanging loosely downward. Now swing both arms loosely across the body then out to the side.
- Place hand of affected arm behind hips and reach as far up the back as possible.
- Place hand of affected arm behind neck and try to take elbows as far as possible.
- Strengthen surrounding muscles
- Keep you movements long by following through your throws.
- Listen to your body’s signals. If you are in pain, ease up.
- When you feel pain, ice it. This will control the pain and inflammation.

There are great exercises, routines and resources available online. Our office has plenty of stretches and worksheets that can help alleviate any muscle pain and help improve your game, please visit www.doctorbarb.com. Good Luck!"

So there you have it, folks. Ice, ice baby, and don't forget to stretch!