Arm Pain: It Doesn't Have to be Part of the Game

One of the best parts about training the youth population is seeing transformations. It’s a great joy to be able to be with a client through their process, working up to the moment where we can look back at where they started. 

In today’s game, Many players and coaches shy away from these transformations because they don’t know they have to. To no one’s fault, it’s been engrained that arm pain is part of the game. It should be viewed as a check engine light, an indicator of a problem, and time to see a mechanic.

Typically, these transformations are necessary to prolong or even save a pitching career. With the average youth DVS Score at 12, most youth pitchers are in an “at risk” category for injury. To learn what a DVS Score is and why it’s important, click here. https://www.dvsbaseball.com/dvs-score

Being in an “at-risk” category increases chances of lingering arm pains, control issues, velocity struggles, and even major injury that can deter performance and lead to frustrations. For many unknowingly in the “at risk” category and suffering with arm pain recovery becomes a priority of training. 

Brendan Davis would likely have been another injury statistic with a painful end to his pitching career, but fortunately for him, an open mind and a hard work ethic led to a timely transformation and stellar start to his senior year.

Accumulating reps throughout his career led to long recovery periods after an outing. During his sophomore year he found his way into the DVS program and entered at an 11 DVS Score with a major risk factor in his trunk acceleration causing strain on his bicep.

An in depth evaluation of Davis’ sequencing and timing as he built up to trunk rotation, helped us create a gameplan to combat his arm pain. 

A winter’s worth of training, improved his DVS Score to 18, and a few timing adjustments started to organically change Brendan’s pitching mindset. As Brendan moved through the system and worked through more pain free sessions, he found he needed less days to recover and his mental state on the mound wasn’t consumed by avoiding arm pain.

With arm pain no longer a primary concern, Brenan’s sessions started moving towards more pitchability and speed training. Davis learned how to use his body and timing to repeat his delivery, increase velocity and perform.

“After training with DVS for about 2 years, the difference in my pitching is monumental. First off, DVS has eliminated nearly all of my arm pain. That was my biggest limitation as a pitcher”

Initial evaluation (left) on 5/13/2019 vs. latest evaluation (right) on 2/1/2021

Unfortunately for Davis, COVID struck his junior year canceling the high school season and put his travel season at risk. 

Ultimately, a delayed start to the travel season allowed Davis to focus on his delivery. Davis entered the travel season with greater consistency, leading to a strong and more importantly pain free summer season. 

Davis did more than train in the facility. He dedicated himself to a deep understanding of sequencing and repeatability of his delivery and has become one of the most consistent performers in the program.

Now in his senior season, arm pain is a thing of the past, which has allowed him to increase his workload and find joy in pitching again. 

Davis has had one of the most impressive starts to his senior year, accumulating 34 innings in 5 starts, and throwing 3 complete game shutouts of those 5 starts, only walking 3 batters to his 32 strikeouts through that span.

“Last year I performed well but was still getting used to my new mechanics. This year after continued practice with DVS, I’m having the most successful pitching season I’ve ever had.. My arm feels a million times better than before”

Davis represents a transformation that many pitchers in today’s game struggle to make. A simple understanding of why pain happens and a choice to improve sequencing drastically changed his last 2 seasons of pitching. For too many pitchers, careers fizzle out and end due to arm pain and injuries, limiting many talented arms from their full potential.