With Erik Bedard’s sore left shoulder showing no real improvement over the past couple of weeks, he had an MRI yesterday. The results revealed "internal impingement" of the shoulder . Many have reported that this is the same thing as soreness, and that he is fine - pointing to the fact that he has no structural damage.
While having no structural damage is definitely a plus, the soreness he is feeling is a symptom of the actual cause, which is the impingement itself. Internal impingement, unlike the typical Subacromial impingement that we often talk about with pitchers, is when there is tightness that develops in the posterior joint capsule of the shoulder.
When this occurs, it creates a situation where the shoulder does not move as well within the joint, and the bony prominences of the humerus (ball) can rub against the posterior-superior aspect of the glenoid and/or labrum (socket). The tendons of the rotator cuff get pinched in this area, and over time, this can create small undersurface tears to the tendons. This is what creates inflammation, and hence, soreness.
Left untreated, this can create a bad situation where the labrum can tear, in addition to the rotator cuff. The typical treatment for this is Physical Therapy, focusing effort on stretching the posterior joint capsule, and regaining strength of the rotator cuff.
It seems as though this was caught early enough for Bedard to avoid any long-term effects from this particular bout of pain. He has yet to begin throwing, but he will continue with his rehab for the time being, and return to a throwing program within the next couple of weeks. It seems apparent now that he will not be dealt by the July 31 trading deadline.
Those who spent an early draft pick on Bedard have to be shaking their head in frustration this season. Don’t expect a ton of starts from him from here on out.
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