Baseball Injuries Piling Up? How High School Players Can Stay Strong Through the End of the Season

As the spring baseball season hits its peak, many local high school athletes are pushing through soreness, fatigue, and nagging injuries — especially pitchers and position players logging heavy innings. At Dynamic Performance and Therapy, we’re seeing a rise in elbow, shoulder, low back, and hamstring injuries this time of year, many of which are preventable with early attention.

Whether you're trying to finish strong, prep for summer ball, or stay healthy for college showcases, now’s the time to listen to your body — not just grind through pain.

Common End-of-Season Injuries in Baseball

Here’s what we see most often in late spring:

• Throwing Shoulder Irritation (Rotator Cuff/SLAP) – Often due to cumulative fatigue and poor scapular control.

• Medial Elbow Pain (Little Leaguer’s Elbow or UCL stress) – Common in pitchers and catchers from overuse or poor throwing mechanics.

• Low Back Tightness or “Side Stitching” – Linked to oblique strain, lack of core control, or compensatory movement patterns.

• Hamstring or Hip Flexor Strains – Especially in players doing more sprinting or aggressive baserunning.

  
  

These aren’t just “aches and pains” — they’re warning signs that something upstream or downstream in your kinetic chain isn’t pulling its weight.

Why These Injuries Happen Now

By this point in the season, volume has piled up — batting practice, long toss, doubleheaders, weekend tournaments. Fatigue starts to outpace recovery. And if offseason strength or mobility work wasn’t built on a solid foundation, the cracks start to show.

This is where physical therapy steps in not just to fix, but to optimize.

What You Can Do Right Now

We recommend three steps to finish your season healthy and strong:

1. Listen to Your Warning Signs

If you’re feeling:

• Arm heaviness after throwing

• Loss of velocity or accuracy

• Trouble rotating through your swing

• Hip or low back tightness that lingers…

These are red flags. Don’t wait until it becomes a season-ending injury.

2. Get a Baseball-Specific Movement Assessment

At Dynamic Performance and Therapy, we offer baseball-specific screens that evaluate:

• Shoulder and elbow stability

• Scapular control

• Core activation and rotation

• Hip mobility and single-leg control

We’ve worked with players from youth to college level — and we know how to translate what we see in the clinic to performance on the field.

3. Use Active Recovery the Right Way

Instead of taking full rest days, include mobility, light band work, breathing drills, and postural resets. For many athletes, a 20-minute recovery session does more than 2 days off.

Parents and Coaches: What to Watch For

Parents and coaches often notice warning signs before athletes speak up. Look for:

• A drop in performance

• Rubbing or holding the elbow after pitching

• Changes in swing mechanics

• Complaints of tightness or soreness that don’t go away

Early intervention now can save a full shutdown later.

We’re Here to Help

Our team at Dynamic Performance and Therapy includes licensed physical therapists with sports specialization. We understand how to bridge rehab and performance for athletes who want to stay on the field, not just sit out and ice.

Want to schedule a free injury screen or performance consult?

Call us at (608) 351-3049 or book online here.4

Let’s keep you on the field — and get you ready for summer ball, showcases, or your next big season.