Understanding the Difference Between a Sore Arm and an Injured Arm for Baseball Players

Virtually any person who plays the game of baseball will, at some point, develop a sore arm. Whether playing a pick-up game all Saturday afternoon behind the local elementary school or going to AAU practice five days a week, players will arrive home with tired, stiff, sore, or painful throwing arms. So, as this is a prevalent issue, the question obviously arises: how does a person best deal with a problematic arm?

First, it is critical to understand the difference between an arm that needs rest to recover and arm that needs true attention due to serious injury. If the arm is tired in general, or if it has stiffness in areas following a throwing session, the arm is, in all probability, simply sore, which represents no real concern. In response to such a situation, the player should follow a general program for recovery, one that includes ice immediately after the throwing to reduce interior swelling, and daily stretching and easy catch the two days afterwards. If the soreness persists, then additional rest is needed, followed by a good long toss program, to be started only after the player believes the arm feels good. Thus, there is no set timetable for recovering from a tired or sore arm, as each player, in accordance with his mechanics, personal style, and amount of use, will vary. However, the basics of ice, rest, and stretching are mandates for recovery.

Conversely, if the arm experiences more than the regular soreness or stiffness and begins to exhibit pain, whether dull aches or something of the sharp, shooting variety, the player needs to shut down and see a certified trainer or doctor. True pain in the shoulder or elbow can be indicative of any number of serious issues that could force the player to miss a prolonged period of time or, in the worst case scenario, permanently hinder the future. Failure to act immediately on these pains could cause considerable damage, as increased use during the pain can worsen the situation, and, as a result, add unneeded time to the length of the injury recovery.

A player must understand, whether by himself or through the aid of a coach or parent, that being honest about his body represents the best way to keep a career alive. The "no pain, no gain" philosophy often leads to heartache, as it encourages players to not see the difference between when to push and when to listen closely to your body's alarms. Knowing limits and accepting the need to rest are two challenging ideals for any competitive athlete to comprehend, yet doing so will eventually allow them to the play at a high level again in a much quicker, safer manner.

In the end, an injury calls for a person to simply stop, get evaluated, and have a plan put in place to maximize recovery. Soreness, on the other hand, demands a daily attention to revitalize the arm and form a consistent recovery pattern.