Big Tounament, Hurt Shoulder.

[ztbowler15]

thanks for the advice! you can check out a video of mine if you want! its under roto grip bowling videos in the forums.

[JaMau24]

When I first started bowling again in December, things went sour QUICK with my arm. It wasn't the normal soreness from getting back into the sport (which I had too). I would bowl so much, and my shoulder, wrist, and elbow would all be KILLING me. I'm talking a sharp pain in my shoulder and elbow. I had to alter the way I threw it, and how fast I threw it. After I threw the ball, about 5 seconds later my elbow and shoulder would just throb in intense pain for about 20 seconds before going back to just regular bad pain. It was to the point the I wasn't even having any fun at all bowling. Guess what I kept doing though? Bowling. I never gave it any time to heal or feel better. I couldn't even move my arm the right way in my everyday life.

I remember I had to stop for 4 days during Christmas break and after that. I was A-OK. I have no clue how it got fixed so quickly. Maybe I was throwing it different or it somehow just healed in that short amount of time. Ever since then, I've never had any problems with any part of my arm and I bowl even more than I did then.

So I guess what I did was kept bowling and never took any time off which I wouldn't recommend.

Anyway, hope it all works out for you and you do well at your tournament. Good luck!

[billf]

Also when you increased your ball speed and threw harder. You proved my point I was trying to make in another thread on here.

Just because Zach said the lanes were dry so he started to loft and throw it faster you ASSUME then that he was throwing as hard as he could with bad form? That's what you said in the other thread, throwing as hard as possible with bad form. The probability of his form being poor is good but that's an awful big assumption to make to prove a point you were trying to make on another thread.

[TheSheibs]

That may be. However it does prove that regardless of form, it is possible to have an injury due to throwing the ball harder/faster. Besides we do not know if his form was affected by the changes he made in the ball speed. It is possible, therefore it is possible to have an injury that is connected to throwing the ball harder or at a higher rate of speed than an individual should be. So it still proves my point. I am sorry to hear about the injury but it is the result of causing strain to a part of the body that it was not meant to endure.

[billf]

How many fast pitch softball pitchers have shoulder injuries? Almost none and that's because the underhand motion puts very little stress on the shoulder. If proper form is used a person could throw as hard as they want and wouldn't damage the shoulder. With Zach's long limbs and quick pace I can see how and why he could get out of time and end up muscling the ball. That's where the injuries come from.

[martin]

hope u get well soon zach and do well in your tourney..

[peterfa]

Unfortunately, everyone is assuming that it is bowling that hurt the shoulder. Perhaps it's something else that created the injury and bowling is just inflaming it.

I had an incident 20 years ago, wherein I was pitching tryouts to little leaguers. Without realizing it, I had pitched to over 80 boys. (approximately 10 pitches per = 800 pitches). Never felt a thing.

Recently, my shoulder started to hurt while bowling. The more I bowled, the more it hurt. Went to my family doctor and got the diagnosis (inflammed muscles, rest it). It continued to hurt when I bowled. Went to an Orthopedic specialist, had an MRI, which showed bone growth in the rotator cuff. Had arthroscopic surgery and the pain is gone. P.S. No tendon or muscle tears were present.

[TheSheibs]

How many fast pitch softball pitchers have shoulder injuries? Almost none and that's because the underhand motion puts very little stress on the shoulder. If proper form is used a person could throw as hard as they want and wouldn't damage the shoulder. With Zach's long limbs and quick pace I can see how and why he could get out of time and end up muscling the ball. That's where the injuries come from.

It's actually more common than you think. Look at how a fast-pitch softball pitchers arm rotates. If you try that motion, a complete circle, your shoulder actually can "pop" making that motion. With bowling a person only brings their arm back to a stopping point and then brings it forward. Go ahead and try to keep your arm locked straight and make a full circle. Most of us will find we can't do it due to lack of flexibility. With bowling, you don't have to be that flexible to throw the all. Also if you experience a little soreness, that could be your body telling you to take a break or that something is wrong.

[TheSheibs]

Unfortunately, everyone is assuming that it is bowling that hurt the shoulder. Perhaps it's something else that created the injury and bowling is just inflaming it.

I had an incident 20 years ago, wherein I was pitching tryouts to little leaguers. Without realizing it, I had pitched to over 80 boys. (approximately 10 pitches per = 800 pitches). Never felt a thing.

Recently, my shoulder started to hurt while bowling. The more I bowled, the more it hurt. Went to my family doctor and got the diagnosis (inflammed muscles, rest it). It continued to hurt when I bowled. Went to an Orthopedic specialist, had an MRI, which showed bone growth in the rotator cuff. Had arthroscopic surgery and the pain is gone. P.S. No tendon or muscle tears were present.

That is a hi possibility. I experienced a knee injury which came out while I was mountain biking. It is important that when we feel a soreness or pain that we monitor it and see a doctor. With all the OTC meds, we tend to just take a pill and forget about it till it gets to the point that it hurts to much or something else happens to make it worse. If you experience pain, soreness, tenderness, etc. You need to see a doctor. It is better to find out that it is nothing serious than self medicate and make it worse. With my knee I was told it was a bruise behind my knee cap. I ask if I could have an MRI or something done to make sure. I had both X-rays and an MRI done which confirmed that it was a bruise and no damage was done to any ligaments or tendons. Bottom line, it is better to have a doctor check you out before a minor injury becomes a surgery required injury.

[ztbowler15]

thats to everyone for your input. I am now getting back into the sport after 2 months of no bowling and physical therapy. so far so good. no pain in the shoulder, but i have noticed some shrinkage of my thumb from not bowling for a while, but nothing a feew pieces of tape cant fix. its going to take a while to get used to bowling again, and get my average back up. but i think i learned my lesson about bowling too much... ill keep you guys updated on my progress, and i have a tournament coming up on august 7th so ill let all of you know how that goes.