Forearm pain - stumped

[maksoftball]

Okay, so DD (15yo) has forearm pain...especially notable in game situations or a lot of reps in practice...overhand throwing reps. The pain is in the muscle that extends over the top of the forearm (tanned side) down to the inside of wrist...the pain is more in the bulk of this muscle closer to the elbow. She describes the pain as a throbbing pain. No numbness or tingling feelings in arm or hand. She can get to a point to where her arm feels weak/shaky when she lifts it up in front of her above the level of her shoulder. We already saw doctor (orthopedics with hand/elbow/arm specialty) yesterday, and he was stumped. He suggested that it may be compression syndrome but that he never heard of that in the forearm. He checked for weaknesses in hands, wrist, elbow and shoulder...couldn't find any. Also did an xray. He suggested ibuprofen, icing in dugout, stretching while resting (as in studying or sitting around), and possibly a compression sleeve.

More information: she kind of had a break from games/practices over the summer. Last week, her HS team took field and did some serious reps. That is when she started hurting. Her TB team had round robins on Saturday/Sunday, and she noticed the pain again...especially on Sunday. She threw last night, and you could tell she was anxious about throwing so much...didn't have pain but she took ibuprofen before. This morning, her arm was sore.

I have another call into the doctor to find out if he researched it any more. Hopefully I get a call back this afternoon. I thought I would throw this out there to see if anyone could find this familiar.

 

[RubberBiscuit]

Just curious - I am NOT a doctor - but does she throw an "infield" type of snap throw usually? (many times a little side-armed-snap?)

 

[WARRIORMIKE]

I personally have going thru this with my daughter. Take her to a sport medicine dr . My daughter pulled a bicep tendon. Nothing serious enough for surgery. But take care if those. The dr chewed me out some too. Make sure to ice her arm after practice

 

[SoftSocDad]

As described, what you're talking about is a very common injury that is generally linked to overuse. Hopefully that's all that's wrong. If her doctor doesn't recommend ceasing activity for 10-14 days in addition to a standard treatment regimen, I'd suggest getting a second opinion.

 

[josh]

This is the same type of pain often complained of in many athletes (especially the a little older weekend type....) football, baseball, even tennis in some cases, bowling (because people sometimes do it only a couple times a year)

Its overuse, or more correctly a high amount of use without properly building up to it... It goes away with rest, and stays away building up to activity gradually. Its not different from any other muscle tendon issue. Rest, Ice, and build up gradual. My daughter is going through a similar issue with bicep tendonitis (pitcher). This sounds like the same thing in the forearm.

Proper form can help if that is part of the cause, but that can only be determined after rest.

 

[guero_gordo]

Many things to look for in form when you get to that point, but just curious if she's a "show the ball to 2nd" pattern thrower....

 

[maksoftball]

Thanks all for your replies. No, she isn't a side arm thrower but has that kind of when staying down low, throwing to 1st kind of thing (as a 3B man). Other than that, it's overhand as it should be. I have tried mimicking the throw and cannot figure out how it's affecting the forearm. I am *STILL* waiting for a call back from the doctor. Also, another idea that I gathered from here...I am going to encourage her to ease into it with warming up (in other words...no need to throw hard right away)...same when easing into the inning (when 1B throws to 2B, SS and 3B while pitcher gets warm on the mound). And I wanted to ask the doc about the muscle tape to see if that is worth looking into. We will see.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

Muscle tape? I think that is kinesiology tape. Look at directions on Youtube for her injury.

But I would shut her down. She is using words like throbbing. That isn't common. I have to wonder about "icing in the dugout." If I had a pitcher doing that, she would be done for the day. Also, I disagree with the doctor's comment about stretching, while sitting around. I am not a fan of static stretching of a cold muscle.

Other than that - he is a doctor and I am not. Good luck.

 

[obbay]

Ice when you're done for the day. Anti inflammatories can be taken +/- half an hour before throwing.
a lot of players throw leading with the elbow and following with a hard snap which taxes the elbow- but usually that pain is on the inside of the elbow rather than the muscle on top as you describe.

 

[RubberBiscuit]

Are you shutting her down? Look, you can't look at form until the injury is gone. And overuse can't be corrected by 'continuing' with form and ice.

Unfortunately I think part of our culture is to "rub some dirt in it and get back out there".

Unfortunately it seems like almost every parent of a sports child and every sports child has to learn this on their own.

I just pray, just like you probably do too OILF, that the "learn" in each case is not a permanent one.......