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| Avoiding Little League Elbow by Michael Adesso |
| As you drive around Buffalo Niagara in the summer, the popularity of youth baseball is evident. It is estimated that 9 million children between the ages of 6 and 17 participate in baseball nationwide. |
| As more children play the game, an increasing number experience overuse injuries, such as “Little League Elbow.” |
| The act of throwing the ball places strain on both the outside and inside of the elbow. Why are children more susceptible to injury from these types of forces? Dr. Michael Ferrick, a pediatric orthopaedist with University Orthopaedics, says that a child’s anatomy is different from an adults. |
| “There are open areas of bone on children that allow for normal bone growth,” Ferrick said. “These growth centers are weak links that can break down from too much repetitive force. This can result in injury to the ligament or bony structures of the elbow.” |
| Part of the reason for an increase in arm injuries is that more players at younger ages are throwing curve balls and sliders, which place more stress on the elbow. Other risk factors include throwing too many pitches per game, participation in multiple leagues at the same time, poor pitching mechanics, and inadequate conditioning. |
| The following are recommendations to lessen the chance of developing arm injuries: |
| - Do not throw the curve ball until age 14 ˝ |
| - The slider should wait until age 18 |
| Limit pitches per game as follows: |
| - Ages 8-10: 50 pitches |
| - Ages 11-14: 75 pitches |
| - Ages 15-18: 100 pitches |
| Maximum innings per week: |
| Age 14 and under: 6 innings |
| Through high school: 10 innings |
| Conditioning is an important part of preventing arm injuries. The power to generate arm velocity is directly linked to the legs and trunk. A common mistake is to put too much emphasis on strengthening the arm in an isolated manner. |
| If an athlete is developing soreness after throwing, or if the elbow is becoming tender or swollen, Ferrick recommends seeing a health care professional. In order to rule out any bone related injures, he says, x-rays may be needed. |
| Michael Adesso, PT, ATC Director of Physical Therapy University Sports Medicine Amherst Location |