Are certain static stretches harmful to a pitchers shoulder?

Here's a few articles:
Youth Fitness Magazine | Warm-Up

S B Coaches College - Mizzou Softball Dynamic Warm-Up
Girls Fastpitch Softball: Old/New School Stretching
Static Stretching in Softball Warm-Ups - More Wrong Than Ever
Want a better workout? Don't stretch before - Health - Fitness | NBC News
Dynamic Stretching Vs. Static Stretching
Static stretching during warm up: Research vs. real world sports (part 1) - Knoxville Sports Performance | Examiner.com
Dynamic Stretching versus Static Stretching for Runners
Warm up and Cool down
Is a Dynamic Warm-up Better Than a Static Stretch for Basketball Players? - Yahoo! Voices - voices.yahoo.com
GETTING STARTED--THE WARM-UP
Dynamic Warm-ups vs. Static Stretching | STACK

Lots of opinions on this. The actual research suggests that static stretching has no impact on physical performance if the static stretching is held for less than a minute.

"CONCLUSIONS:

The detrimental effects of static stretch are mainly limited to longer durations (≥ 60 s), which may not be typically used during preexercise routines in clinical, healthy, or athletic populations. Shorter durations of stretch (<60 s) can be performed in a preexercise routine without compromising maximal muscle performance."

Link to scientific study: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21659901

Forgot to add: static stretches are still encouraged, but as a part of a cool down and if used prior to an activity, limiting the hold to short intervals not exceding a few seconds.

I think Candrea was asked why Team USA did statics and he said that many on the team had done them their whole life that they wanted to keep some as part of their routine. As I recall, he said he gave them a few minutes of personal time after the dynamic stuff.

Almost every high level soccer program does dynamics. I've seen video of baseball teams who are moving to dynamics. I think the #1 reason static stretching is still seen is that it's almost tradition. Tons of rec coaches in any sport start with stretching, followed by a jog or sprints, then onto practice. Many softball/baseball teams start with throwing, static stretching, then a run (completely backwards from the recommendations.)

(almost everything I've said comes straight from memory and would rather put my trust in studies like the one posted above by GunnerShotgun.)

It helps to understand what you are accomplishing with the two.

Waaaayy back…I was doing dynamic stretching for Karate after having read Thomas Kurtz stretching scientifically which was dynamic stretching. I made more progress during that time than all the years previous. Our instructors… as time went on… still always did a lot of static stretching in the beginning of a workout. I got to where I wouldn't do it….today…many of them and those that started at the same time as me…some younger…..are like crippled old men and I still have all my body movements. I credit that with dynamic stretching and still do them myself.

Everyone now is into body movement and patterns….which is a good thing and most now understand that the neuro-muscular firing of those muscles and movement patterns is the controlling factor.

With dynamic stretching you are using movement to let the body "reset" the nervous systems control of the muscles….to get to your current maximum level of flexibility for what your going to be doing….. and to establish better adaptive patterns of movement through the different planes of movement for your training.

I think a lot of people look at warming up as just getting the circulation going…but its much more…and its greatest benefits are as I mentioned imo.

Static stretching doesn't use movement patterns and doesn't necessarily reset the nervous systems control but stretches fibers and creates micro tears of the connective tissues. Rather than letting the body's neural system adapt…you are trying to force a reset…so to speak. They should be used mostly after a work out for working on increasing flexibility and cool down as KENB said.

Kenb's list above is a very good example of what to use. We always do circle movement and arm swings…then jog, bound, knee highs ect….then leg swings before we move on.

As to pro's not doing them…i think some people reach a level where they can do things differently…yet being a pro also doesn't mean your doing things right. Dennis Waitley…a motivational speaker and researcher….was amazed at the poor diets that some pro basketball players had when he was with the Olympics. Most of the pro teams I have watch warm up in football and baseball do dynamic stretching.

Dynamic stretching should be a part of everyones training and warm up…and its good to do for us mmm…."more experienced men/women" aka (old)…just to help keep our body movements.

Ken,

I recall Marc D. coming out with an article on this subject that landed on this board. Been quite awhile. Maybe Marc can point us to iot.

If I recall correctly most teams were doing the wrong stretching before and after throwing.

Hal,
Check my links above. I think there's at least one of Marc's articles there.

A couple years ago, I watched a local college team warm up and was very impressed with their routine. When I asked the coach for some input, she referred me to Coach Marc. I'm still not doing the full progression into activating the body. So far, mine is more of a warm up and loosening up.

YYeah, Marc does pretty on the stretching, core strength, etc articles.

Ken if you read this, I DONT CARE what the general consensus is, I still THINK YOU SHOULD KEEP mARC ON.

Bump......