Why Baseballs Players are More Prone to Elbow Issues

It’s no secret that baseball is America’s favorite pastime, but unfortunately, baseball players aren’t immune from injuries. With over 15 million baseball players in America — and even some professional players from Kenosha — sports injuries are bound to rack up. 

Common baseball injuries are concussions, sprained ankles, contusions, and tendonitis. About 30% of all baseball injuries occur on the upper extremity, second only to head and face injuries. 

Here at Lakeshore Pain and Spine Center in Kenosha, Wisconsin, Bradley A Silva, MD, sees a lot of baseball players with elbow issues, and there’s a good reason for that: baseball players are more prone to elbow issues.

Whether you’re a weekend warrior, a high school player, a collegiate player, or just love to play catch with your kids, here’s what you need to know about playing baseball and elbow issues.

Baseball players are prone to repetitive stress and overuse

Simply put, throwing baseballs puts stress on your shoulder and elbow. Pitchers, in particular, are at a higher risk for elbow injuries simply because they throw more balls. 

According to research published in Sports Health, overhand pitches are the most detrimental to a player’s arm. That’s because overhand pitches place an incredible amount of torque on your shoulder and elbow. In this case, torque refers to the force of the rotation of your arm as you pitch.

Most pitchers can throw up to 100 pitches per game, not including practices throughout the week. Over time, this repetitive stress can lead to wear and tear on ligaments, tendons, and cartilage in your elbows, leading to sprains, tendonitis, or even stress fractures. 

Specific risk factors for elbow issues

Several factors increase the likelihood of elbow issues among baseball players, including:

Pitching mechanics

Poor pitching mechanics, such as overstriding, improper arm positioning, and excessive trunk rotation, can place too much stress on your elbow. If you’re unsure of your pitching mechanics, check with your coach. 

Tip: Video analysis can be helpful when assessing your pitching mechanics. 

Pitching workload

Pitchers who throw a high volume of pitches or participate in multiple games within a short period are more susceptible to overuse injuries and fatigue-related issues. Resist the temptation to exceed the recommended pitch counts for your age and division.

Your age

Young baseball players, whose bodies are still developing, may be more prone to elbow injuries due to growth plate abnormalities and immature bone and joint structures.

Preventing elbow injuries 

To mitigate the risk of elbow issues when you play baseball, keep these training tips in mind:

• Proper training (including cross-training) 
• Enforcing pitch count limits 
• Rest between pitching appearances 
• Make use of relief pitchers 
• Working with coaches and trainers to refine your pitching mechanics 

In addition to improving your pitch mechanics and training properly, what you eat and drink before a game can also help. Because baseball games don’t have a time limit, you need to ensure proper nourishment for your body. You’re less likely to get tired when your body is fueled. Fatigue can increase your risk of using poor form. 

The American Dairy Association provides nutritional recommendations for baseball players before, during, and after games and practices. 

A good night’s sleep before games and practice can help prevent all sports injuries, including elbow injuries. Specifically, less than seven hours of sleep is associated with a higher risk of musculoskeletal injury.

What should you do if you injure your elbow?

If your elbow hurts, don’t brush it off. Ignoring elbow pain can lead to additional injuries and increased pain. At Lakeshore Pain and Spine Center, Dr. Silva can diagnose the type of elbow injury you have through an examination, review of your symptoms, and analysis of diagnostic imaging such as X-rays.

Depending on what type of injury you have, he may recommend:

• Medication, such as over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications or prescription medication
• Physical therapy
• Corticosteroid injections
• Surgery 

Most importantly, Dr. Silva can help create a plan for you to return to your games safely. 

If you have questions or want to explore your potential elbow pain treatments, call us at 262-484-4035 or go online to our website to get started.