Baseball pitchers put their arms through a tremendous amount of stress. The repeated high-speed motion of throwing can create small areas of soft tissue damage that build up over time, leading to tightness, altered mechanics, and eventually injury. One of the most effective ways to help pitchers recover and keep their arms healthy is through a hands-on technique called Active Release Techniques, or ART.
What Is ART?
ART is a specialized soft tissue therapy that targets muscles, tendons, ligaments, fascia, and nerves. It involves precise tension and movement to help break up scar tissue, improve tissue glide, and restore normal range of motion. Unlike passive stretching or general massage, ART is highly targeted and performed with active movement. That makes it especially valuable for athletes like pitchers, who need full control and fluid motion across their entire kinetic chain.
Why Pitchers Benefit from ART
Pitching requires a complex sequence of motion involving the hips, core, shoulder, and arm. When even one link in that chain is restricted—say, a tight lat muscle or bound-up infraspinatus—it can throw off the whole delivery and lead to pain or mechanical compensations.
ART works to:
Reduce post-throw shoulder and forearm tightness
Restore full external rotation and scapular movement
Improve range of motion in key throwing muscles
Speed up recovery between outings
Help athletes feel "looser" and more connected during performance
Real-World Example
A local high school pitcher came into the clinic with lingering shoulder tightness and a loss in velocity after a tournament weekend. There was no major injury—just a fatigued arm and tight posterior shoulder. After assessing his movement and identifying restrictions in the rotator cuff and lat, we used ART across just a few sessions. By the following week, his range of motion had improved, his shoulder felt more “alive,” and he was back to throwing comfortably.
Beyond Recovery: Performance Optimization
ART isn’t just for injury recovery. When combined with movement screening and performance-based chiropractic care, it becomes a powerful tool to help pitchers:
Improve efficiency
Prevent overuse injuries
Maintain consistent mechanics
Extend their season and career longevity
If You’re a Pitcher in the Greater Atlanta Area
Whether you’re dealing with post-game soreness, limited shoulder mobility, or just want to throw better and feel better, Ascend Sports Chiropractic can help. We specialize in working with overhead athletes, and our approach blends ART, biomechanics, and functional rehab to get you results.
