Limiting Pitches to Avoid Baseball Injuries in Children and Adolescents

Baseball season is upon us again and with it so are dreams of championships. Unfortunately, during this time, there is often a concurrent spike in kids presenting to doctor’s offices with complaints of shoulder and elbow pain from overuse baseball injuries. While every child and adolescent is different and can withstand different activity loads, numerous studies have shown a correlation between the number of pitches/innings thrown and the rate of shoulder and elbow injuries.

In one study, researchers recommended that pitchers in high school or younger should not throw more than 100 cumulative innings in competition in a calendar year. Other methods for minimizing the risk of injuries include an off-season conditioning program, an adequate pre-game warm-up, and a post-game cooldown and stretching program.

SimpleTherapy can help with a variety of online video exercises that are easy to follow, portable, and helpful in maintaining shoulder and elbow joint flexibility and strength throughout the entire calendar year.