Preventing Baseball Injuries
Almost 500,000 baseball-related injuries are treated each year.1 Injuries experienced by baseball players include:
- Shoulder tendinitis
- Rotator cuff tears
- Labral tears
- Instability
- Medial epicondylitis or tendinitis
- Ulnar ligament tear or rupture
- Posterior or lateral elbow pain
- Nerve problems
These injuries are most often caused by overuse, repetitive throwing with a loose shoulder, falling on an outstretched arm, poor body mechanics, and muscular imbalance and tightness.
Preventive measures for pitching-related injuries
The pitching arm is the area most frequently treated in baseball players. The following guidelines will help prevent arm and shoulder injuries related to pitching:
- Allow time for dynamic warm-up activity
- Allow adequate rest periods between games
- Avoid pitching until pain subsides
Additional injury prevention recommendations for youth pitchers
In addition, the most important way to prevent arm and shoulder injuries related to pitching is to follow recommended guidelines for youth pitchers that:
- Encourage players to communicate how they are feeling
- Teach players certain pitches only when their growth plates are closed
- Restrict the type of pitch a player should throw based on age
- Prevent players from playing or pitching in multiple leagues at the same time
- Restrict the number of pitches a player should throw in a game, a week, and a season based on age
SSPT’s baseball injury prevention seminars
SSPT's baseball injury prevention seminars are tailored to the age and experience of the players. Our seminars:
- Provide information about common injuries experienced
- Identify factors that contribute to baseball injuries
- Highlight actions that players can take to reduce their risk of injury
1 Petty DH, Andrews JR, Fleisig GS, Cain EL. The American Journal of Sports Medicine. 32:1158-1164, 2004.
Learn about conditions that pitchers experience:
