Tips to help kids avoid common baseball and softball injuries

Spring is right around the corner, which means flowers, nice weather, and... pitchers and catchers reporting for spring training! With baseball and softball season quickly approaching, athletes from tee-ball up through the majors will be getting ready for another season. Unfortunately, it also means that injuries will be coming, too. Below is a list of common baseball and softball injuries as well as tips on how to avoid getting hurt at any age.

Labrum tear: This connective tissue surrounds the shoulder joint and provides stability to the joint when throwing. Excessive throwing can cause the tissue to tear.

Rotator cuff strain or tear: This muscle keeps the arm bone in place in the shoulder blade socket. It helps to slow the arm down when throwing.

Little league shoulder: The growth plate in the arm bone can become inflamed due to excessive throwing.

UCL tear/sprain: The ligament keeps the lower arm bone stable on the upper arm bone. Surgery to fix a UCL tear often referred to as “Tommy John” surgery.

Golfer’s elbow: The tissue connecting the forearm muscles to the elbow can become inflamed due to overuse.

Little league elbow: The growth plate in the elbow can become inflamed from overuse.

Most injuries in baseball will happen at the shoulder or elbow. The majority of these injuries are not traumatic, meaning they do not occur from a collision or impact. These injuries are usually due to repeated movements like throwing, hitting, or running. Because throwing is such an unnatural movement, it is important that you use your body in the best way to protect your shoulder and elbow.

1. Follow pitch count guidelines for baseball. (Guidelines can be found at www.littleleague.org) Fatigue has been shown to correlate with injuries. An athlete should not play pitcher and catcher in the same day.

Pitchers age 14 and under must adhere to the following rest requirements:

2. Warm up by stretching or foam rolling your mid back, shoulder, and legs. This also includes practice throwing.

3. Train your legs and hips to start your throw or swing. Your body has to move efficiently to play baseball, and that includes starting your power from your back leg, getting hip/shoulder separation to generate elastic energy, and then deceleration with your back muscles and lead leg. If one of those segments are not doing their job, then that additional stress will either cause an overuse injury, or you will not play at your highest level. Most injured baseball players who I work with cannot perform a single leg squat which means hip weakness which could lead to injury.

In summary, watch your pitch counts, and work with a good personal trainer, coach, athletic trainer or physical therapist who can help you use your body the right way to stay away from being injured and be the best that you can be on the field!

Ken Guzzardo, PT, DPT, OCS, SCS, is a physical therapist at 3 Dimensional Physical Therapy with locations in Medford, West Berlin and Haddonfield, New Jersey.