How to Care for Your Arm After Pitching a Baseball Game
Whether you're a professional or amateur player, pitching can be a pretty grueling task. Success means routinely throwing with accuracy and at a high velocity. That's not possible, though, if you're sidelined with an injury. Injuries can range from ligament damage to muscle soreness, all of which will negatively affect your performance. Some injuries could even require surgery. Luckily, taking the proper steps to care for your arm will keep you on the field and add years to your career.
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Instructions
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Place ice cubes in a few resealable storage bags to ice your throwing arm. Wrap the bags around your shoulder and elbow with plastic wrap. Allow ice to numb your arm for about 15 minutes. Ice will help reduce any swelling in the arm.
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Perform back, chest and shoulder stretches to help loosen your muscles. Frequent stretching will help revitalize your arm before your next outing. Stretching can also prevent further muscle soreness and injury in your throwing arm.
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Take over-the-counter painkillers (like Ibuprofen) as needed to ease pain. Painkillers can reduce swelling and inflammation. Always follow instructions on the bottle or from your physician.
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Rest your arm. Don't throw off the mound until your next outing. Taking care of your arm means giving it enough time to recover.
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Tips & Warnings
Talk to your coach about limiting your pitch counts during the game.
Throw fewer breaking balls, which require a twisting motion in your elbow.
Throwing with an injured arm will only make your injury worse.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Eliot J. Schechter/Getty Images Sport/Getty Images
