Major League Baseball pitchers who throw a higher percentage of fastballs face a higher risk of undergoing Tommy John surgery, or ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction, according to a study published in Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery.
For the retrospective, case-controlled study, researchers collected data of 83 MLB pitchers from two years before and after they had surgery. They then matched the data against pitchers in a control group with no prior surgery over the same time period.
Here are five insights:
1. The study found MLB pitchers who have undergone Tommy John surgery threw, on average, 7 percent more fastballs than pitchers who had no surgery.
2. Researchers found no statistical differences in other pitch types like curveballs, sliders and change-ups.
3. They also found no correlation between pitch velocity and risk of injury.
4. Previous studies have estimated nearly 25 percent of current MLB pitchers have undergone Tommy John surgery.
5. Research points to overuse and stress on the elbow, pitching velocity and joint motion as primary drivers of Tommy John surgery.