Little Rock-based Arkansas Specialty Orthopaedics surgeon Kirk Reynolds, MD, shared injury prevention tips for young baseball players with KATV, an ABC affiliate.
Baseball season starts in spring, but many young athletes play year-round. "One of the common injuries we see with throwing athletes is to their elbow," Dr. Reynolds told KATV. Pitchers who tear their ulnar collateral ligaments often need Tommy John surgery, which typically sidelines them for a year.
"The more often you throw, the more often you torque that ligament, the faster it's going to fail," Dr. Reynolds told KATV. He recommends baseball and softball players develop core and arm strength while stretching for a proper amount of time before games. Taking a break from baseball and playing other sports is beneficial for athletes. Cross-training can strengthen muscles that are not utilized during baseball or softball.
Here are the Major League Baseball pitching guidelines for specific age groups.