This week’s Ask the Docs answers are provided by Dr. Michael C. Ciccotti Jr., Sports Medicine Surgeon at Rothman Orthopaedics, Official Orthopedic Partner of All-Star Sports Academy! Remember, if you need quick access to a Rothman Physician, be sure to utilize their Fast Scheduler program!
Question: I am a pitcher and I have arm pain and soreness frequently. How do you know when it’s something you can push through, and when it could be something more serious and you need to get it looked at? I don’t want to miss any of my season. – Zack (Downingtown)
Answer: Zack, thank you for the question. Admittedly, this can be challenging for any athlete or doctor to know with certainty. When I talk about this with my patients, I often try to distinguish between concepts of “soreness” and “pain”. I describe “soreness” as a feeling that you’ve felt before, that feels familiar even if it can be uncomfortable, but that improves over the course of a day or two. It may benefit from standard measures – rest, ice- judicious use of over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications or Tylenol. Think of soreness after a hard workout – you might be sore that evening or the next day, but within a day or two, you’re back to normal. I contrast this with “pain”, which has a wrongness to it – it feels wrong. It may be sharper or more immediate, but not always so. It frequently fails to improve the way that soreness does. However, when in doubt, mention it to your parent/coach/trainer so that it can be monitored for improvement – whether its “soreness” or “pain”. It’s never wrong to have a qualified professional, like the doctors at Rothman, take a look at it.
