Hip Bruising Due to Elbow "Plant"

Hello all, while pitching the other night my DD tells me she must be "planting" too hard because her hip was hurting a little bit....just above and behind the bony spot. I looked at it and it was red and a bit swollen. Bascially she bruised her hip becuase her elbow has been "planting" into it while pitching. This is the first time she has complained about it but looking back at videos we noticed that is where her arm has been planting for quiet some time.

This whole time I was under the impression that the elbow must come in contact with some portion of the hip area in order for the humerous to stabilize thus allowing for IR. I think maybe we have been too focused on the "elbow plant" rather than the tricep pulling into the body. However, in looking at Sarah Pauley, Finch, Ueno, etc.....it appears that every one of the upper level pitchers have some type of elbow plant. Perhaps it is the video angle, video speed, etc....but it does appear, to me at least, that there is contact with the elbow and the hip. A very trusted member explained the elbow plant needs to be more of a tricep plant (thank you for the explanation )

This leads me to some questions.....in order for the humerous to stablize while to arm is to remian "whippy", how do you not have some type of plant with the "hinge" (elbow) in order for the proximal (above portion/humerous) part of the fulcrum to instananeously stop and allow the distal (lower portion/forearm) part whip around the hinge (elbow)? Basically, how does the whipping action occur without a place to whip around...thus the elbow plant?

Perhaps we practice too much and she is just getting sore from the repeated "planting"....not sure. However, if we arae doing something wrong, I want to be sure we start the process of correcting so as to not put my DD's safety at risk. I compared the above gif with the aforementioned upper level pitchers and it looks pretty close to how they make contact with the arm/hip.....but again, the angle, speed of the video, etc....is probably different. If anyone has any input on the above gif file, please let me know. It would be much appreciated.

I wanted to post this becuase I feel it is important that we share as much of our experiences as we can as we owe so much to this board and it posters. Hopefully the "experts" can chime in and give their two cents

Thank you!

My DD has the same issue, but she swears it is only occasionally that it happens, and she can feel it when it does. She gets bruises once in a while in that same spot. Her PC thought it was her either not opening up enough, or closing too soon, but I am convinced it is because or her getting her circle off plane and too far "inside" on the downswing. In either case, the cause is simply the hip being in the way of the circle. My DD also has a lot of natural interference so it was hard to tell the bad form the good. I am just letting it ride as it is getting less and less so I am just letting her work on it and self correct. I do give her feedback on being opened/closing to 45/straight arm circle, but that is it. I am not trying to fix this in any particular way, just making sure the other mechanics are right and kind of assuming this will take care of itself.

How old is this video? I don't recall your DD stepping out of her finish that much with her right leg. Maybe something to do with her hip moving into her arm circle path.

This is exactly why you shouldn't teach brush interference at her age. Her core is not strong enough to support her hips and her shoulders rotating independently, thus she is flying her hips open as her shoulder flies open. In order for brush interference to work, the core must be strong enough for the hips to resist and brake against the stride leg and the rotation of the shoulders, even as they open somewhat.

In this kids case, she never, ever gets open at all, again a sign of a weak core. Her shoulders stay square to the catcher the entire time. She needs to break down her mechanics at square one and get a fresh start. What does her pitching instructor have her working on to address this? In all honesty she looks like a kid who is trying to learn, as best she can, whatever stuff her parents are pulling off the internet about elite level pitching, instead of a kid who is moving through a progression tuned to her body strength and skill level.

-W

starsnuffer said:

This is exactly why you shouldn't teach brush interference at her age. Her core is not strong enough to support her hips and her shoulders rotating independently, thus she is flying her hips open as her shoulder flies open. In order for brush interference to work, the core must be strong enough for the hips to resist and brake against the stride leg and the rotation of the shoulders, even as they open somewhat.

In this kids case, she never, ever gets open at all, again a sign of a weak core. Her shoulders stay square to the catcher the entire time. She needs to break down her mechanics at square one and get a fresh start. What does her pitching instructor have her working on to address this? In all honesty she looks like a kid who is trying to learn, as best she can, whatever stuff her parents are pulling off the internet about elite level pitching, instead of a kid who is moving through a progression tuned to her body strength and skill level.

-W

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You suggest we start from square one? Hmmmm....i think i will pass on that advice. As far as teaching brush interference, i can tell ya this....my DD has never heard that term. Furthermore, there is no way you can determine what my DD's core strength is from a video. Even further, getting "open" as you say is a relative term. Your definition of open is different than the next persons. So please forgive me when i say i think i will pass on your advice and be careful when you talk about "whatever stuff her parents are pulling from the internet" to teach pitching mechanics as it is this site and this site alone in which I as "this kids" parent am using to teach my DD to pitch. As far as a pitching coach......I refuse to allow my DD to learn the wrong way to pitch in the beginning......perhaps you have different viewpoints on right and wrong and that is fine but dont ever tell someone asking for advice about a sore hip to go back to square one and start fresh.......thats just plan stupid and irresponsible. Baffling, totally baffling....

CLM, this is a recent video. I am seeing the same thing as it pertains to stepping through the pitch. It started when we really focused on the arm circle. The only thing i could think of is that the arm is now going to the ball side (better circle) and that is causing her momentum to shift her to the ball side thus having to "catch" herself with the left foot due to the momentum.......im just not sure but its something i have been wondering about. It could be that she has gotten a little more explosive with the push......like i said, something i have noticed as well. Appreciate the input.

I also see that she isn't getting open. I see this happen at the end of a 45 minute lesson and I have to remind them to finish strong. I would practice lots of power K's and work on not letting those shoulders and hips close.

Amy in AZ. said:

I also see that she isn't getting open. I see this happen at the end of a 45 minute lesson and I have to remind them to finish strong. I would practice lots of power K's and work on not letting those shoulders and hips close.

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I was under the impression that the hips and shoulders were set by the landing foot and the landing foot is to land at a 45 degree angle. If the hips and shoulders are at a 90 degree angle the the landing foot is at or close to a 90 degree angle.....is my interpretation incorrect?
I do however appreciate the constructive advice and not telling me that my DD needs to go back to square one and relearn how to pitch.

Hip hitting aside. What I see is a kid who has better whip and more stable mechanics that 8 out of 10 pitchers I videotaped yesterday at a 12u friendly. Maybe SSs experience is at a seriously elite level but from what I see she is a kid with a lot right but room for improvement, which will come with time.

CLM265 said:

How old is this video? I don't recall your DD stepping out of her finish that much with her right leg. Maybe something to do with her hip moving into her arm circle path.

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CLM....your comment got me to thinking.....in the above gif file, can you see where my DD's landing foot lands? You can see where her "usual" landing spot is, where it is a different shade of color....she looks to be landing a little to the left of of that spot or a little more left of the powerline than normal. Could this be a contributing factor to the lack of stability upon follow through? Ive not noticed that before until now.....guess ive kinda missed the forest for the trees. I appreciate the response.