scholarly journals Increasing Burden of Youth Baseball Elbow Injuries in US Emergency Departments

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (5) ◽  
pp. 232596711984563 ◽  
Author(s):  
David P. Trofa ◽  
Kyle K. Obana ◽  
Hasani W. Swindell ◽  
Brian Shiu ◽  
Manish S. Noticewala ◽  
...  

Background: Youth athletes are starting sports earlier and training harder. Intense, year-round demands are encouraging early sports specialization under the perception that it will improve the odds of future elite performance. Unfortunately, there is growing evidence that early specialization is associated with increased risk of injury and burnout. This is especially true of pediatric and adolescent baseball players. Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose of this investigation was to analyze national injury trends of youth baseball players. We hypothesized that while the total number of baseball injuries diagnosed over the past decade would decrease, there would be an increase in adolescent elbow injuries seen nationally. A further hypothesis was that this trend would be significantly greater than other injuries to the upper extremity and major joints. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: Injury data from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, a United States Consumer Product Safety Commission database, were analyzed between January 1, 2006, and December 31, 2016, for baseball players aged ≤18 years. Data were collected on the location of injury, diagnosis, and mechanism of injury. Results: Between 2006 and 2016, an estimated 665,133 baseball injuries occurred nationally. The mean age of the injured players was 11.5 years. The most common injuries diagnosed included contusions (26.8%), fractures (23.6%), and strains and sprains (18.7%). Among major joints, the ankle (25.6%) was most commonly injured, followed by the knee (21.3%), wrist (19.2%), elbow (17.7%), and shoulder (16.2%). The incidence of the ankle, knee, wrist, and shoulder injuries decreased over time, while only the incidence of elbow injuries increased. A linear regression analysis demonstrated that the increasing incidence of elbow injuries was statistically significant against the decreasing trend for all baseball injury diagnoses, as well as ankle, knee, wrist, hand, and finger injuries ( P < .05). Additionally, the only elbow injury mechanism that increased substantially over time was throwing. Conclusion: The current investigation found that while the incidence of baseball injuries sustained by youth players is decreasing, elbow pathology is becoming more prevalent and is more commonly being caused by throwing. Given that the majority of elbow injuries among adolescent baseball players are overuse injuries, these findings underscore the importance of developing strategies to continue to ensure the safety of these youth athletes.

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Akira Saito ◽  
Kyoji Okada ◽  
Hiromichi Sato ◽  
Kazuyuki Shibata ◽  
Tetsuaki Kamata

Context: Baseball pitching is a coordinated movement involving the spine. A previous study indicated that increased thoracic kyphosis angle in a standing position was a risk factor for medial elbow injuries in youth baseball players. However, spinal alignments in single-leg standing and their relationships with medial elbow injuries, scapular alignment, or hip joint range of motion are unclear. Objective: To examine the difference in spinal alignment between standing and single-leg standing positions in youth baseball players and analyze their relationship with elbow injuries, scapular alignment, or hip joint range of motion. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: University laboratory. Participants: There were 51 youth baseball players with medial epicondylar fragmentation (medial elbow injury group) and 102 healthy youth baseball players (control group). Main Outcome Measures: Thoracic kyphosis, lumbar lordosis, and trunk inclination angles during standing and single-leg standing, forward scapular posture, and hip joint range of motion. Results: In the single-leg standing position, the thoracic kyphosis and backward trunk inclination angles were significantly higher in the medial elbow injury group than in the control group (P = .016 and P = .046, respectively). In the standing position, no significant difference was observed between both groups. The thoracic kyphosis angle in single-leg standing was positively correlated with the bilateral forward scapular posture in the medial elbow injury (P = .008 and P < .001 on the throwing and nonthrowing sides, respectively) and control (P = .010 and P = .032 on the throwing and nonthrowing sides, respectively) groups. Conclusions: High thoracic kyphosis and backward trunk inclination angles are characteristics during single-leg standing in youth baseball players with medial elbow injuries. Spinal alignment measurement in single-leg standing may be useful for identifying youth baseball players who are at risk for sustaining medial elbow injury.


2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (10) ◽  
pp. 2319-2328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael G. Ciccotti ◽  
Keisha M. Pollack ◽  
Michael C. Ciccotti ◽  
John D’Angelo ◽  
Christopher S. Ahmad ◽  
...  

Background: Elbow injuries cause significant disability for the throwing athlete. Scant data are available on the distribution and characteristics of these injuries in elite baseball players. No study exists that focuses solely on the epidemiological characteristics of elbow injuries in professional baseball players using a comprehensive injury surveillance system. Hypothesis: Professional baseball players have a high occurrence of elbow injuries influenced by factors including length of time playing, time period within the annual baseball season, and specific position played. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiological study. Methods: Data on elbow injuries occurring during the 2011-2014 seasons were collected from Major League Baseball’s Health Injury and Tracking System, a comprehensive injury surveillance system. Each specific type of elbow injury was evaluated with respect to overall injury rate, years as a professional player, mechanism of injury, treatment, average time lost, and return to play. Results: During the study period, 3185 elbow injuries (n = 430 Major League; n = 2755 Minor League) occurred. The mean number of days missed and percentage requiring surgery were similar between Major and Minor League players. Overall, 20.0% (650/3185) of the injuries required surgical treatment. Pitchers were the most likely to incur an elbow injury (40.0% of injured athletes were pitchers), were the most likely to require surgery (34.2% of injured pitchers required surgery), and had the greatest mean number of days missed when treated nonsurgically (33.2 days). Medial injuries composed 42.1% (1342/3185) of all elbow injuries. Of all elbow surgeries performed during the study period, the highest percentage involved ligaments (372/650; 57.2%). Conclusion: Elbow injuries are a considerable source of disability in professional baseball players. Pitchers are most likely to incur these injuries, are most likely to require surgery, and have the highest mean number of days missed when treated nonsurgically. The most common injuries involve the medial elbow, with ligament injuries most often requiring surgery. This study represents the only investigation to date using a comprehensive injury surveillance system to examine elbow injuries in professional baseball players. It provides a basis for injury prevention and treatment recommendations, establishes the most thorough framework for determining elbow injury risk, and focuses continued research on elbow injury prevention in the elite baseball player.


2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (9) ◽  
pp. 232596711986742 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gretchen D. Oliver ◽  
Michael G. Saper ◽  
Monika Drogosz ◽  
Hillary A. Plummer ◽  
Alan T. Arakkal ◽  
...  

Background: Injury prevalence has been well described among baseball athletes; similarly, a better understanding of injuries in softball athletes is needed. Purpose: To examine shoulder and elbow injury epidemiology among high school softball athletes in the United States. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiological study. Methods: Injury data were obtained from the National High School Sports-Related Injury Surveillance System, which captures data from a large national sample of US high schools. Annually, a random sample of 100 high schools provided a representative sample with respect to the 4 US Census geographic regions and 2 school sizes (cutoff point, 1000 students). Athletic trainers from participating schools reported data for athlete-exposures (AEs; practice or competition) and shoulder and elbow injuries from 2005-2006 through 2016-2017. Results: A total of 239 shoulder injuries and 85 elbow injuries occurred within 2,095,329 AEs. The overall shoulder injury rate was 1.14 per 10,000 AEs, whereas the overall elbow injury rate was 0.41 per 10,000 AEs. Injuries to the shoulder were more likely to occur during competition as compared with practice (rate ratio, 1.28; 95% CI, 0.99-1.65). Half of the shoulder (50.4%) and elbow 48.9% injuries were due to an overuse/chronic mechanism. Of the athletes sustaining an injury, 86.8% with shoulder injuries and 93.0% with elbow injuries returned to play within 21 days. Only 16.7% of shoulder injuries and 17.5% of elbow injuries were sustained by pitchers. Conclusion: Shoulder and elbow injury rates, time to return, and percentage of injuries among pitchers were far lower in high school softball than previously reported values for high school baseball. There were relatively low incidences of shoulder and elbow injuries in high school softball as compared with baseball, with few injuries requiring lengthy time to return to play.


2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (2) ◽  
pp. 460-469 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun Sakata ◽  
Emi Nakamura ◽  
Tatsuhiro Suzuki ◽  
Makoto Suzukawa ◽  
Atsushi Akaike ◽  
...  

Background: Youth baseball players are at high risk for elbow injuries, which can lead to future functional disability. Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of a prevention program to lower the risk of medial elbow injury in these athletes. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: Youth baseball players, 8 to 11 years old, without a history of elbow and shoulder pain, were allocated to either the intervention (n = 136) or control (n = 169) group. The intervention consisted of 9 strengthening and 9 stretching exercises, performed during warm-up or at home, with high compliance defined as completion of the program 1 or more times per week. The following outcome variables were measured: clinical assessment of the elbow and shoulder joint, ultrasonography assessment of the elbow, and assessment of physical function (passive range of motion of the elbow, shoulder, and hip; strength of the shoulder and scapular muscles; and measurement of the thoracic kyphosis angle). The clinical and ultrasonography assessments were measured at baseline and at 3-month intervals over the 1-year follow-up. Physical function outcomes were measured at baseline and at the endpoint of the follow-up. The primary endpoint of effectiveness was the incidence of medial elbow injury. Secondary endpoints were absolute measures of physical function and change in these measures over the 1-year follow-up. Results: The incidence rate of medial elbow injury was significantly lower in the intervention group (0.8/1000 athlete-exposures) than the control group (1.7/1000 athlete-exposures) (hazard ratio, 50.8%; 95% CI, 0.292-0.882; P = .016). The program improved total range of shoulder rotation (dominant side), hip internal rotation (nondominant side), shoulder internal rotation deficit (bilaterally), lower trapezius muscle strength (dominant side), and the thoracic kyphosis angle. Improvements in the following variables of physical function were predictive of a lower rate of medial elbow injury: increased total shoulder total rotation (odds ratio [OR], 0.973; 95% CI, 0.950-0.997), increased hip internal rotation of the nondominant side (OR, 0.962; 95% CI, 0.936-0.989), and decreased thoracic kyphosis angle (OR, 1.058; 95% CI, 1.015-1.103). Conclusion: A prevention program aiming to improve physical function can prevent medial elbow injury in youth baseball players.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 232596712098679
Author(s):  
Hitoshi Shitara ◽  
Tsuyoshi Tajika ◽  
Takuro Kuboi ◽  
Tsuyoshi Ichinose ◽  
Tsuyoshi Sasaki ◽  
...  

Background: Youth baseball players who experience elbow pain during the season frequently exhibit radiographic elbow abnormalities. However, it is unknown whether asymptomatic elbow abnormalities are risk factors for in-season elbow injuries. Purpose: To determine whether the preseason presence of asymptomatic medial epicondyle apophysitis is a risk factor for in-season elbow injuries in youth baseball players. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: Youth baseball players (N = 210; age range, 7-12 years) with no pain or history of injury in their throwing arms underwent preseason evaluations that included shoulder and elbow range of motion measurements, shoulder muscle strength testing, and ultrasound elbow scans with a multifrequency 13-MHz linear array transducer. Over 1 year of play, the players and their parents maintained daily elbow pain diaries. Elbow injuries were defined as medial elbow symptoms that prevented ball throwing for ≥8 days. Results: The preseason ultrasound evaluation revealed medial epicondyle apophysitis in 59 players. In the year following, elbow injuries occurred in 17 (28.8%) players with preseason medial epicondyle apophysitis and 18 (11.9%) players without apophysitis. Independent predictors of elbow injuries were preseason medial epicondyle apophysitis (odds ratio [OR], 2.488; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.152-5.376; P = .02) and deficits of abduction (ABD) and external rotation of the dominant shoulder (OR, 0.963; 95% CI, 0.936-0.992; P = .012). Conclusion: Asymptomatic medial epicondyle apophysitis and ABD and external rotation deficits in the dominant shoulder were risk factors for elbow injuries in 7- to 12-year-old youth baseball players. These findings may aid in the design of programs to prevent elbow injuries in this population.


2017 ◽  
Vol 46 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael G. Saper ◽  
Lauren A. Pierpoint ◽  
Wei Liu ◽  
R. Dawn Comstock ◽  
John D. Polousky ◽  
...  

Background: Shoulder and elbow injuries are common in young athletes, especially high school baseball players. Understanding the risk factors associated with baseball injuries is an essential first step in the development of injury prevention strategies. Purpose: To provide a comprehensive understanding of the epidemiology of shoulder and elbow injuries among high school baseball players in the United States. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiological study. Methods: Baseball-related injury data were obtained from the National High School Sports-Related Injury Surveillance Study using High School RIO (Reporting Information Online), an Internet-based sports injury surveillance system. Athletic trainers from high schools across the country uploaded data regarding athlete-exposures (AEs) (defined as practice or game participation) and shoulder and elbow injuries from the school years 2005-2006 through 2014-2015. Results: A total of 241 shoulder injuries and 150 elbow injuries occurred during 1,734,198 AEs during the study period, for an overall shoulder injury rate of 1.39 per 10,000 AEs and an overall elbow injury rate of 0.86 per 10,000 AEs. The overall rates of injury were higher in competitions compared with practices for shoulders (rate ratio, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.11-1.85) and elbows (rate ratio, 2.15; 95% CI, 1.56-2.96). The majority of shoulder (39.6%) and elbow (56.9%) injuries were sustained by pitchers, and most injuries were chronic and caused by overuse. Position players were more likely to sustain injuries by contact with the playing surface or apparatus. For pitchers, muscle strains were the most common shoulder injuries (38.7%), while ligament sprains were the most common elbow injuries (42.7%). The majority of pitchers with shoulder (70.8%) and elbow (64.6%) injuries returned to play within 21 days. Among pitchers, a higher proportion of elbow injuries (11.4%) resulted in medical disqualification compared with shoulder injuries (5.6%). Among pitchers, the majority of shoulder (89.2%) and elbow (96.4%) injuries were managed nonsurgically. Conclusion: Shoulder and elbow injury rates and patterns in high school baseball players differed between field positions (pitchers vs position players) and by type of exposure (practice vs competition). This study suggests several areas of emphasis for targeted injury prevention interventions, most notably limiting fatigue and preventing overuse injuries.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 232596712110525
Author(s):  
Ali S. Farooqi ◽  
Alexander Lee ◽  
Eric Abreu ◽  
Divya Talwar ◽  
Kathleen J. Maguire

Background: Baseball and softball are popular sports in the United States and are responsible for a large number of youth sports injuries each year. Purpose: To investigate recent differences in youth baseball and softball injuries evaluated in nationwide emergency departments. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: The National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS) database was examined for softball and baseball injuries in pediatric patients (age, 7-21 years) from 2010 through 2019. Patients were classified as children (age, 7-13 years), adolescents (age, 14-18 years), or young adults (age, 19-21 years). Case narratives were used to categorize injuries as contact injuries (hit by bat or ball), field injuries (sliding into base, collision with another player, catching, or running), throwing injuries, or other. Results: An unweighted total of 24,717 baseball injuries and 13,162 softball injuries were recorded. A nationwide estimate of 861,456 baseball injuries and 511,117 softball injuries were sustained during the studied time period, with estimated respective injury rates of 86,146 and 51,112 per year. Injured softball players were most commonly adolescent (47%) and female (92%), while injured baseball players were most commonly children (54%) and male (90%). There was a greater proportion of baseball-related injuries involving the head/neck (41%) as compared with softball-related injuries (30%) ( P < .01). Conversely, a greater proportion of softball-related injuries involved the lower extremity (32%) as compared with baseball-related injuries (19%) ( P < .01). When comparing diagnosis, softball injuries were more often sprains/strains (28%) than baseball injuries (18%) ( P < .01). When comparing mechanisms of injury, baseball athletes were more likely to be evaluated with contact injuries than were softball athletes (49% vs 40%, P < .01). Conclusion: Youth baseball athletes were more likely to be injured through contact mechanisms and had a higher proportion of injuries related to the head/neck/face, whereas softball injuries more frequently involved the lower extremity and resulted in a sprain/strain. League guidelines should focus on reducing contact injuries within youth baseball, and injury-prevention programs should focus on reducing lower extremity injuries in youth softball.


2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (7) ◽  
pp. 1601-1607 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daisuke Kurokawa ◽  
Takayuki Muraki ◽  
Hiroaki Ishikawa ◽  
Kiyotsugu Shinagawa ◽  
Hideaki Nagamoto ◽  
...  

Background: Pitch velocity is associated with elbow injuries among skillful baseball players. However, the relationship between pitch velocity and throwing elbow injuries among youth players has not yet been clarified. Purpose: To investigate the influence of pitch velocity on medial elbow pain and medial epicondyle abnormality among youth baseball players. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: The participants consisted of 256 elementary school players (mean age, 11 ± 1 years; range, 9-12 years). The medial aspect of the elbow was evaluated using ultrasound imaging. A questionnaire was used to investigate past or present pain in the elbow, background of the players (age, height, body mass index, and years of baseball experience), and playing environment (number of days of practice in a week, experience as a pitcher, and cryotherapy of the shoulder and elbow after practice). Positioning of the scapula, range of motion in shoulder internal/external rotations and hip internal rotation, angle of the straight-leg raise, and heel-to-buttock distance were measured. The pitch velocity was recorded using a pitch velocity radar gun. The relationship between these variables and the presence of medial epicondyle abnormality, as well as past or present elbow pain, were statistically analyzed. Results: A medial epicondyle abnormality was observed in 130 players (51%), elbow pain in the past in 65 players (25%), and elbow pain during the examination in 14 players (5%). Sixty-nine players (27%) experienced elbow pain either in the past or during examination. Abnormality of the medial epicondyle had a relationship with the pitch velocity (odds ratio [OR], 1.1 for increase of 1 km/h; 95% CI, 1.1-1.2; P < .0001) and the number of practice days in a week (OR, 1.8 for increase of the practice days; 95% CI, 1.4-2.5; P < .0001). Pitch velocity was also significantly related with past pain, present pain, and past and/or present pain of the elbow (OR [km/h], 1.1, 1.1, 1.1; 95% CI, 1.0-1.1, 1.0-1.2, 1.1-1.2; P < .0001, P = .002, P < .0001, respectively). Conclusion: Pitch velocity was significantly associated with abnormality of the medial epicondyle and elbow pain. A 10-km/h increase in pitch velocity would increase the risk of medial epicondyle abnormality and medial elbow pain by 3 times.


2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (5) ◽  
pp. 1220-1225
Author(s):  
John Mayberry ◽  
Scott Mullen ◽  
Scott Murayama

Background: The incidence rate of elbow injuries has been rising in recent years among professional baseball pitchers. Determining valid screening procedures that allow practitioners to identify pitchers at an increased risk of such injuries is therefore of critical importance. Purpose: To validate the use of countermovement jump (CMJ) tests as a diagnostic tool for pitcher conditioning. Study Design: Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: More than 500 pitchers at a single professional baseball organization performed preseason CMJ assessments on a force plate before the 2013 to 2018 seasons. Three measurements were extracted from ground-reaction force data during the test: eccentric rate of force development (ERFD), average vertical concentric force (AVCF), and concentric vertical impulse (CVI). Athletic trainers at the organization collected detailed information on elbow and shoulder injury rates as well as workload (pitch count) throughout the rest of the season. Poisson regression models were fit to investigate the dependency of injury rates on CMJ test performance. Results: ERFD, CVI, and AVCF were all significant predictors of elbow injury risk after accounting for pitcher age, weight, and workload. The analysis identified 3 specific indicators of heightened risk based on the results of a CMJ scan: low ERFD, a combination of low AVCF and high CVI, and a combination of high AVCF and low CVI. In contrast, shoulder injury risk was roughly independent of all 3 CMJ test measurements. Conclusion: This study supports the hypothesis of the entire kinetic chain’s involvement in pitching by establishing a link between CMJ test performance and elbow injury risk in professional baseball pitchers. CMJ assessment may be a powerful addition to injury risk alert and prevention protocols. Pitchers in high-risk groups can be prescribed specific exercise plans to improve movement imbalances.


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