Swing injuries

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May 30, 2013
1,442
83
Binghamton, NY
This week,
NY Met Michael Conforto dislocated his shoulder swinging at a pitch at the plate during a game:
https://youtu.be/GsXn370Wz9g

I'm wondering just how common a shoulder injury like this is?

Back in early-July, my 14U DD suffered a similar injury,
and my wife just happened to record it on her phone:
https://youtu.be/z5ygVx8DNHs

Hers was less severe than Conforto's - a "subluxation" of the shoulder joint, not a "dislocation".
But still kept her out of action for 3 weeks while she re-habbed it in PT and recovered and built strength back into the muscles that surround and stabilize this joint.
Also, another difference, she injured her lead (left) shoulder RHB, and Confoto injured his rear (left) shoulder LHB.

Has anyone else encountered this type of injury before?
Is it a result of poor swing mechanics? or just "freak accident"?

In my DD's case, you can see the pitch was *extremely* inside,
and she fouled-off the pitch right above the handle. Not sure if that contributes, or not.
Would love to hear other's opinions here.

Off-season, will continue to strengthen the shoulder complex,
and continue to refine batting mechanics. I hope she never has to endure this kind of injury again.
As a pitcher, we were pretty thankful it was not her rear and throwing shoulder that was injured.
 
Last edited:
Jan 28, 2017
1,662
83
Had a Sr. playing baseball dislocate his shoulder hitting off a tee before the first game of the season. Worked very hard to rehab. Then tee work, soft toss, hit in the cage, and then live and dislocated it on his first swing live. He was the starting center on a pretty good football team and never had a problem. Odd.
 
Dec 11, 2010
4,713
113
My oldest daughter had this injury. Check swing against a high inside pitch. Was against a hard thrower that is pitching in the SEC this fall. Front shoulder came completely out. She went down, umpire and all of the spectators thought the pitch hit her, she got the base and kept playing. I think one of the contributing factors was that she is head to toe fast twitch muscles, almost freakishly quick. It was extremely painful and was/is a nagging injury. It changed her season and altered her high school career, she was a junior on pace to beat her own school record for single season home runs. It screwed up that season and lingered through her senior year. She is a college sophomore now and finally is where she should e physically. Stay on top of maintaining that after it is rehabbed. They will likely give her excercises to do after she doesn't feel pain. Make sure she does them.

DD used to stretch her shoulders before every at bat, including putting hand over each end of bat and bringing bat down behind her back. Physical therapist picked that out as a contributing factor of why she injured it, that stretched the muscles etc that hold the ball joint in the socket. I see kids do this all the time and I just want to go find their parents and warn them...
 
Last edited:

ian

Jun 11, 2015
1,175
48
The kid is a ball player for sure! Nice work Coach.

My guess, kind of looks like the inside pitch didnt allow for enough lateral side bend which created a lead arm blocking issue which jammed up the rear shoulder socket. When players use their whole body to create a ton power like your DD, hitches in the kinetic chain can cause injury.
 

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