Throwing With Arm Pain: Should You Stop or Keep Throwing?

Now that baseball and softball games have started all across Ireland, it’s not uncommon for arm pain to show up with the sudden increase in throwing. The big question is: “Should I keep throwing?” The answer isn’t as simple as stopping completely or pushing through. Rest can lower your tolerance and set you back when you return, while pushing through can make things worse. Like most things, the answer lies somewhere in the middle, and there are a few key things to consider to help you make the right decision.

Should You Keep Throwing With Arm Pain? A Simple Checklist.

Instead of guessing, here are some simple questions to help you decide whether to keep throwing or pull back. Think of this less like a yes/no decision, and more like a checklist.

How Did It Start?
A sudden, sharp onset of pain during one throw is more concerning. A gradual build-up with no clear moment usually points toward a load or sensitivity issue.

Where Is It?
If you can point to one specific spot, that is something to pay attention to. More general soreness or tightness is more likely load- or volume-related.

What Happens When You Throw?
Monitor how your arm feels as you throw. Pain that gets worse as you continue to throw is a concern. Pain that stays the same or improves as you warm up tells a different story.

What Happens After You Throw?
How you feel after throwing is just as important as when you’re throwing. If pain lingers or worsens into the next day, take note. If it settles quickly, you’re likely in a better spot.

What’s The Trend Over Days?
Think in patterns, not moments. If the pain is getting worse each session (more severe and/or comes on quicker), that’s a red flag. Stable or improving pain is more manageable.

Does Your Performance Change?
A drop in velocity or accuracy is more concerning than no change at all.

Does It Change How You Throw?
Are you altering your mechanics to avoid pain? Even if tolerable, compensations can shift stress elsewhere and make things worse.

Does It Affect You Outside of Throwing?
If pain carries into daily activities like reaching overhead or carrying, that’s worth paying attention to.

How Confident Do You Feel Throwing?
Do you trust your arm, or are you hesitant with every throw? We sometimes need a bit of encouragement to push through mental barriers, but we’re also pretty good at sensing when something isn’t right. Avoiding certain throws or holding back effort is something to flag.

None of these on their own are an automatic stop sign. But when multiple red flags show up, it’s time to pull back—or pause—and get assessed by someone who understands throwing injuries. If most of these are green flags, it’s usually safe to keep throwing. But that doesn’t mean ignore it—it means adjust. Reduce volume or intensity, monitor your response, and build back up with a plan.

One bad throw doesn’t mean you need to stop, but one pain-free session doesn’t mean you’re in the clear either. You don’t have to choose between shutting it down completely or pushing through pain. The goal is to make better decisions based on how your arm responds over time. If you’re unsure, that’s where a proper assessment matters—not just to tell you what’s wrong, but to give you a clear plan for what to do next. That’s exactly what we do at Bend Without Breaking Athletic Therapy.