The Athletic Potential Podcast! Episode 063: How to Avoid and Manage Back Pain in Throwers

 

Most Common Baseball & Softball Injuries Beyond the Arm: Low Back Pain, Pars Defects, and Core Training In this Athletic Potential Podcast episode, a physical therapist answers a listener’s question about the most common baseball and softball injuries outside the shoulder and elbow, explaining that low back pain is a major issue (with hamstrings also common in baseball) and highlighting adolescent pars stress fractures caused by repetitive high-speed lumbar extension and rotation. The episode reviews basic lumbar motion limits to show why the low back is poorly suited for rotation, describes typical symptom progression, notes that imaging can help determine status, and outlines common management including activity restriction for roughly 2–5 months, with many returning to play (about 80%) though overall return may take 6–8 months. Prevention focuses on adequate seasonal downtime, a gradual ramp-up of volume and intensity, improved mechanics, and core control using planks, side planks, and bird dogs/dead bugs rather than crunches or sit-ups.

 

00:00 Welcome and Setup

 

01:17 Listener Question

 

01:53 Common Non Arm Injuries

 

02:38 Why Throwers Get Back Pain

 

03:33 Pars Defects Explained

 

07:49 Diagnosis Imaging and Timeline

 

11:18 Prevention Through Ramp Up

 

14:56 Skip Crunches Build Core

 

16:21 Plank Bird Dog Routine

 

21:17 Wrap Up and Next Steps

 

🎧 Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube