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How Your Body Cheats to Keep Going — And Why It Backfires

arm care athlete back back pain baseball baseball injuries baseball injury baseball performance baseball pitcher May 12, 2025
 

Let’s talk about something that catches a lot of athletes off guard: compensation patterns.

Your body is smart. When one area isn’t moving well—say, your hips or shoulders—it finds a way to keep you going. It “cheats” by making other areas work overtime. This might help you push through a game or a workout, but over time, it sets you up for pain and injury.

The Mobility-Stability Chain

Think of your body as a chain of joints alternating between mobility and stability:

  • Ankle – mobile

  • Knee – stable

  • Hip – mobile

  • Low back – stable

  • Thoracic spine (upper back) – mobile

  • Shoulder blade – stable

  • Shoulder joint – mobile

  • Elbow – stable

When a mobile joint becomes stiff or restricted, the neighboring stable joint often compensates. For example:

  • Stiff hips can lead to the low back overworking, causing back pain.

  • Limited shoulder mobility might force the elbow to take on extra stress, leading to elbow issues.

Real-World Example

Imagine a pitcher with tight hips. To achieve the necessary range of motion, their low back might twist more than it should. Initially, this compensation allows them to perform, but over time, it can lead to back pain or even injury.

The Problem with Compensation

While these adjustments help in the short term, they often lead to:

  • Overuse injuries

  • Decreased performance

  • Chronic pain

It’s like driving a car with misaligned wheels. You can still drive, but over time, it wears down your tires unevenly and affects your car’s performance.

Fixing the Root Cause

Addressing the symptoms isn’t enough. You need to identify and correct the underlying mobility restrictions. This might involve:

  • Targeted mobility exercises

  • Strengthening stabilizing muscles

  • Reassessing movement patterns

By restoring proper function to the affected joints, you reduce the strain on compensating areas and improve overall performance.

Ready to uncover and address your body’s compensation patterns? 

Schedule an evaluation or free injury screen to get started.

 

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