scholarly journals Early Sports Specialization Is Associated With Upper Extremity Injuries in Throwers and Fewer Games Played in Major League Baseball

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (7) ◽  
pp. 232596711986110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jamie Confino ◽  
James N. Irvine ◽  
Michaela O’Connor ◽  
Christopher S. Ahmad ◽  
T. Sean Lynch
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Upper Extremity ◽  
Major League Baseball ◽  
Professional Baseball ◽  
Baseball Players ◽  
Minor League ◽  
Major League ◽  
Elbow Injuries ◽  
The Disabled ◽  
Extremity Injuries

Background: Single-sport athletes who specialize in baseball at a young age may have a greater predisposition to overuse injury, burnout, and decreased career longevity when compared with multiple-sport athletes. The effect of sport specialization has not been studied in professional baseball players. Hypothesis: Major League Baseball (MLB) players who played multiple sports in high school would experience fewer injuries, spend less time on the disabled list, play more games, and have a longer career than athletes who played only baseball in high school. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: First- and second-round MLB draft picks from 2008 to 2016 who played in at least 1 professional game were included in this study. Athletes who participated in 1 or more sports in addition to baseball during high school were considered multisport athletes, and athletes who participated in only baseball were considered single-sport athletes. For each athlete, participation in high school sports, injuries sustained in MLB and Minor League Baseball, number of days on the disabled list for each injury, number of games played in both leagues, and whether the athlete was still active were collected from publicly available records. Results: A total of 746 athletes were included in this study: 240 (32%) multisport and 506 (68%) single sport. Multisport athletes played in significantly more mean total games (362.8 vs 300.8; P < .01) as well as more mean MLB games (95.9 vs 71.6; P = .04) than single-sport athletes. There was no difference in the mean number of seasons played in the major leagues (1.8 vs 1.6; P = .15) or minor league (5.25 vs 5.20; P = .23) between multisport and single-sport athletes. Single-sport athletes had a significantly higher prevalence of upper extremity injuries compared with multisport athletes (136 [63%] vs 55 [50%]; P = .009). Single-sport pitchers also had a higher prevalence of shoulder and elbow injuries (86 vs 27; P = .008) and were more likely to have recurrent elbow injuries (33% vs 17% recurrence; P = .002) compared with multisport pitchers. Conclusion: Professional baseball players who participated in multiple sports in high school played in more major league games and experienced lower rates of upper and lower extremity injuries than players who played only baseball in high school.

scholarly journals Early Sports Specialization is Associated with Increased Upper Extremity Injuries and Fewer Games Played in Major League Baseball Players

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (7_suppl5) ◽  
pp. 2325967119S0039
Author(s):  
Jamie Erica Confino ◽  
James N. Irvine ◽  
Christopher S. Ahmad ◽  
Thomas Sean Lynch
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Upper Extremity ◽  
Sport Participation ◽  
Sports Injuries ◽  
Professional Baseball ◽  
Baseball Players ◽  
Major League ◽  
Elbow Injuries ◽  
The Disabled ◽  
Extremity Injuries

Objectives: Early sport-specialization has been shown to place athletes at risk for increased injuries and decreased sporting performance in various sporting populations. However, the effect of sport-specialization has not been studied in professional baseball. The purpose of this investigation is to determine if single-sport athletes that specialize in baseball at a young age have a greater predisposition to overuse injury, burnout, and decreased performance compared to multiple-sport athletes. We hypothesized that MLB players who played multiple sports in high school would experience fewer injuries necessitating time on the Disabled List (DL), play more games, and have a longer career compared to athletes that played only baseball in high school. Methods: First and second-round MLB draft picks from 2008 to 2016 that played in at least one professional (minor or major league) game were included in this study. Athletes who participated in one or more sports in high school in addition to baseball were considered multi-sport athletes, and athletes who participated in only baseball were considered single-sport athletes. For each athlete, participation in high school sports, injuries sustained in MLB and MiLB, number of days on the Disabled List (DL) for each injury, number of games played in MLB and MiLB, and whether the athlete was still active were collected from publically available records. Results: Seven hundred forty-seven athletes were included in this study, of which 240 (32%) were multi-sport and 506 (68%) were single-sport athletes. Multi-sport athletes played in significantly more total professional baseball games on average (362.8 vs. 300.8, p < 0.01) as well as more major league games (95.9 vs. 71.6, p = 0.04) than single-sport athletes. Meanwhile, single-sport athletes had a significantly higher number of upper extremity injuries than multi-sport athletes (136 vs. 55, p < 0.01, Table I). Single-sport pitchers also had a higher number of shoulder and elbow injuries than multi-sport pitchers and, once injured, were more likely to have recurrent elbow injuries (86 vs. 27, p < 0.01; 33% vs. 17% recurrence). Conclusion: Professional baseball players who participated in multiple sports during high school played in more MLB games and sustained fewer upper extremity injuries than players who specialized in baseball before high school. Professional pitchers who specialized by the time they were in high school had a significantly higher chance of sustaining recurrent elbow injuries compared to those who were multi-sport athletes in high school. MLB players with a history of multi-sport participation were more likely to avoid overuse injuries and had greater longevity and level of performance compared to those that limited their sport participation to baseball during high school. [Table: see text]

scholarly journals Analysis of Non-Game Injuries in Major League Baseball

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 232596711988849
Author(s):  
Amanda Esquivel ◽  
Michael T. Freehill ◽  
Frank C. Curriero ◽  
Kevin L. Rand ◽  
Stan Conte ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Recent Literature ◽  
Major League Baseball ◽  
Tracking System ◽  
Injury Rate ◽  
Primary Diagnosis ◽  
Professional Baseball ◽  
Baseball Players ◽  
Minor League Baseball ◽  
Minor League ◽  
Major League

Background: Numerous studies have investigated injuries and treatments in the baseball athlete. The majority of these studies have focused on the throwing shoulder and elbow. However, more recent literature is reporting injuries to other regions in this cohort, including the knee, head, hip, and hamstring. Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose of the current study was to determine the number and type of injuries in Major League Baseball (MLB) and Minor League Baseball (MiLB) players that do not occur during the actual game but are related to baseball participation. Our hypothesis was that there would be a substantial number of injuries that occurred in professional baseball players during non-game situations. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiological study. Methods: Deidentified, anonymous data were collected from the 2011 through 2016 seasons from the MLB Health and Injury Tracking System (HITS) medical record database. All injuries that were identified as a primary diagnosis and resulted in at least 1 day out of play from both MLB and MiLB were examined. Injuries were categorized as occurring during the game (“game” injuries) or not during the game. A “non-game” injury was defined as occurring at any time other than during the scheduled game from the first to last pitch. Results: There were 51,548 total injuries in MLB and MiLB players from 2011 to 2016, almost 40% of which were attributed to non–game-related injuries (n = 19,201; 37.2%). The remainder occurred during a game (n = 32,347; 62.8%). A significantly greater percentage of non-game injuries were season ending (10.8%) compared with the percentage of game-related season-ending injuries (8.4%) ( P < .0001). Pitchers had significantly more non–game-related injuries than game-related injuries ( P < .0001). Conclusion: A large number of injuries occur in professional baseball outside of actual games. MiLB players, specifically pitchers, are particularly at risk for these types of injuries. It is feasible that the overall injury rate in professional baseball players could be reduced by analyzing these injuries in more detail to develop prevention strategies.

scholarly journals Ankle and Lower Leg Injuries in Professional Baseball Players

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 2473011419S0028
Author(s):  
Christopher Lucasti ◽  
Myles Dworkin ◽  
William Warrender ◽  
David Pedowitz ◽  
Brian Winters ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Surveillance System ◽  
Major League Baseball ◽  
Lower Leg ◽  
Injury Surveillance ◽  
Professional Baseball ◽  
Injury Surveillance System ◽  
Baseball Players ◽  
Leg Injuries ◽  
Minor League ◽  
Major League

Category: Ankle, Sports, Trauma Introduction/Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the injury characteristics of ankle and lower leg injuries in professional baseball players during the 2011-2016 seasons by utilizing the Major League Baseball (MLB) injury surveillance system. Methods: Our study is a descriptive epidemiological evaluation through a retrospective review from the MLB Health and Injury Tracking System (HITS) since its implementation in 2011. We included any professional baseball player (Major League and Minor League) who was identified as having an ankle or lower leg injury from January 1, 2011 through February 28th, 2017.Over the study period there were a total of 4,756 injuries of which 763 (16.0%) occurred in the Major League and 3,993 (84.0%) occurred in the Minor League. Results: The average number of days missed for all players was 27.8 days (+/-141.4 days) with a median of 3 days. From 2011 through 2016 it was estimated that there were 414,912 athlete exposures (AEs) in Major League Baseball and 1,796,607 AEs in the Minor Leagues. Of the 4,756 injuries recorded, 550 (11.6%) took place during the Major League regular season and 3,320 (69.8%) took place during the Minor League regular season. Major League injuries, however, were 1.7 times more likely to require surgery (p < .001). Additionally, rates of injury to the lower leg were stratified by position with infield players experiencing injuries at a 1.6 times greater rate than any other position (p < .001). Conclusion: In conclusion, the data from this study represents the only epidemiological study to focus primarily on lower leg injuries in professional baseball players utilizing an injury surveillance system developed by MLB.

Elbow Injuries in Professional Baseball: Epidemiological Findings From the Major League Baseball Injury Surveillance System

2017 ◽  
Vol 45 (10) ◽  
pp. 2319-2328 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael G. Ciccotti ◽  
Keisha M. Pollack ◽  
Michael C. Ciccotti ◽  
John D’Angelo ◽  
Christopher S. Ahmad ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Injury Prevention ◽  
Surveillance System ◽  
Injury Surveillance ◽  
Professional Baseball ◽  
Injury Surveillance System ◽  
Baseball Players ◽  
Elbow Injury ◽  
Minor League ◽  
Major League ◽  
Elbow Injuries

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.

scholarly journals Hamstring Injury Trends in Major and Minor League Baseball: Epidemiological Findings From the Major League Baseball Health and Injury Tracking System

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 (7) ◽  
pp. 232596711986106
Author(s):  
Kelechi R. Okoroha ◽  
Stan Conte ◽  
Eric C. Makhni ◽  
Vincent A. Lizzio ◽  
Christopher L. Camp ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Major League Baseball ◽  
Platelet Rich Plasma ◽  
Tracking System ◽  
Hamstring Injury ◽  
Professional Baseball ◽  
Baseball Players ◽  
Minor League Baseball ◽  
Hamstring Injuries ◽  
Minor League ◽  
Major League

Background: Hamstring strains are the most common injury for professional baseball players and can result in significant time on the disabled list. To date, no study has reported the current trends in hamstring strains in professional baseball. Hypothesis: Professional baseball players would have an increased incidence of hamstring strains from 2011 through 2016. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: Injury data were prospectively collected from 2011 through 2016 for every Major League Baseball (MLB) and Minor League Baseball (MiLB) team and was recorded in the MLB Health and Injury Tracking System. Data collected for this study included date of injury, activity during injury, time lost, primary injury or reinjury status, and imaging findings as well as player demographic information related to level of play, age, and position for all hamstring injury events. Injury rates were reported as hamstring injuries per number of games. Results: From 2011 to 2016, there were 2633 hamstring strains in professional baseball players. The rate of hamstring strains increased in MLB from a low of 1 injury every 39 games in 2011 to a high of 1 injury every 30 games in 2016. In MiLB, there were 2192 hamstring strains, with 1 injury every 35 games in 2011 compared with 1 injury every 30 games in 2016. The majority of injuries occurred in the infielder positions (37.5%) and resulted from base running (>50%), most commonly from home to first base. The most common hamstring injury was a grade 2 injury to the distal biceps femoris. The mean time missed after a hamstring injury was 14.5 days. Grade 3 and grade 2 hamstring strains resulted in significantly more days missed compared with grade 1 injuries ( P = .005 and P = .002, respectively). The rate of recurrent hamstring injuries was 16.3% for MLB and 14.2% for MiLB. Recurrent hamstring injuries resulted in more time lost than primary injuries (mean, 16.4 vs 14.5 days, respectively; P = .02). A total of 42 injuries were treated with platelet-rich plasma, and 19 were treated with surgery. The number of injuries treated with platelet-rich plasma increased in successive years. Conclusion: The rate of hamstring strains in professional baseball players has increased over the past 6 years and has resulted in a significant loss of playing time. Study results indicated that these injuries are affected by injury characteristics, position played, running to first base, seasonal timing, and history of hamstring injuries.

Stereophotometric Testing for Pulfrich's Phenomenon in Professional Baseball Players

1993 ◽  
Vol 77 (2) ◽  
pp. 407-416 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albert J. Hofeldt ◽  
Frank B. Hoefle
Keyword(s):  
Major League Baseball ◽  
Coefficient Of Determination ◽  
Professional Baseball ◽  
Baseball Players ◽  
Visual Ability ◽  
Minor League ◽  
Major League

Major League players were significantly more accurate in performing stereophotometry than were Minor League players. The stereophotometric data based upon the induction and extinction thresholds of the Pulfrich phenomenon were significantly correlated with the batting averages of Major League baseball players. The coefficient of determination, r2, implies that visual ability as measured by stereophotometry accounts for 47% or more of the variation in batting averages of the Major League players. This test may be a useful index in predicting batting ability.

scholarly journals Analysis of Injuries and Pitching Performance Between Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball: A 2-Team Comparison Between 2015 to 2019

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 232596712110088
Author(s):  
Ryan L. Crotin ◽  
Toshimasa Yanai ◽  
Peter Chalmers ◽  
Kenneth B. Smale ◽  
Brandon J. Erickson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Los Angeles ◽  
Major League Baseball ◽  
Professional Baseball ◽  
Injury Incidence ◽  
Mechanism Of Injury ◽  
Research Collaborations ◽  
Minor League ◽  
Major League ◽  
Player Game ◽  
And Performance

Background: There has been minimal research investigating injury and pitching performance differences between Major League Baseball (MLB) and other professional leagues. Purpose/Hypothesis: This 2-team comparison between MLB and Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) involved affiliated players over 5 years. We hypothesized that teams would differ in the injury incidence, mechanism of injury, pitch velocity, and pitch type usage. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: Between 2015 and 2019, pitching data as well as injury statistics for the highest level and minor league affiliates of the Los Angeles Angels (MLB) and the Hiroshima Toyo Carp (NPB) were reviewed for significant differences in the injury prevalence, injury type, mechanism of injury, and days missed. In total, 3781 MLB and 371 NPB injuries were studied. Results: MLB-affiliated players were significantly younger, taller, and heavier ( P < .001) than were NPB-affiliated players. MLB-affiliated pitchers threw faster than did their NPB counterparts ( P = .026). MLB minor league pitchers threw more curveballs than did NPB minor league pitchers ( P = .004), and MLB minor league relief pitchers threw more sliders than did NPB minor league relief pitchers ( P = .02). The MLB team had a 3.7-fold higher incidence of injuries versus the NPB team (0.030 vs 0.008 injuries per player-game, respectively) as well as more repeat injuries, with fewer days missed per injury (15.8 ± 54.7 vs 36.2 ± 55.1 days, respectively; P < .001). The MLB team also had a higher percentage of injuries that were throwing related ( P < .001), were contact related ( P < .001), and occurred outside of competition ( P < .001) compared with the NPB team. Conclusion: This is the first empirical study examining injury trends and pitching characteristics between MLB and NPB athletes. MLB-affiliated pitchers threw faster and relied more on breaking pitches in comparison with NPB-affiliated pitchers. From injury data, MLB players were younger, taller, and heavier with a higher percentage of throwing-related injuries, contact injuries, and injuries sustained outside of competition. Overall, the MLB team indicated a 3.7-fold higher rate of reported injuries with fewer days missed per injury than did the NPB team. Competitive conditions are distinctly different between MLB and NPB, and thus, more extensive research collaborations in the future can identify best practices to advance health and performance for both leagues.

scholarly journals A Comparison of Cardinal Gaze Speed between Major League Baseball Players, Amateur Prospects, and Non-athletes

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. e17-e28
Author(s):  
Karla Kubitz ◽  
Claire-Marie Roberts ◽  
Melissa Hunfalvay ◽  
Nicholas Murray
Keyword(s):  
Eye Tracking ◽  
Major League Baseball ◽  
Limited Attention ◽  
Professional Baseball ◽  
Baseball Players ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Major League

PurposeSensorimotor variables have been shown to predict performance in professional baseball players. However, cardinal gaze speed in baseball players has received only limited attention. This study tested the hypothesis that the cardinal gaze speed in Major League Baseball (MLB) players would be faster than in amateur prospects and non-athletes. MethodSeventeen MLB athletes, 160 amateur prospects, and 128 non-athletes were tested using an eye-tracking test (i.e., the RightEye CGP test) designed to measure cardinal gaze speed. ResultsMLB players had significantly faster cardinal gaze speed than either amateur prospects or non-athletes. Moreover, there were significant differences in cardinal gaze speed across different directions. ConclusionsThis was the first study to examine the speed of gaze in the cardinal positions in an athletic context. The results highlight the significant difference in cardinal gaze speed between MLB players, amateur prospects, and non-athletes.

scholarly journals Incidence and Return to Play after Biceps Tenodesis in Major League Baseball Players

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (3_suppl3) ◽  
pp. 2325967117S0011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Nissen Chalmers ◽  
Brandon J. Erickson ◽  
Nikhil N. Verma ◽  
Anthony A. Romeo
Keyword(s):  
Major League Baseball ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Shoulder Surgery ◽  
Return To Play ◽  
Rate Of Return ◽  
Labral Repair ◽  
Professional Baseball ◽  
Biceps Tenodesis ◽  
Baseball Players ◽  
Major League

Objectives: Superior labral anterior-posterior (SLAP) tears are a common source of inability to play among baseball players of all levels. SLAP repair is unpredictable and thus biceps tenodesis (BT) has been proposed as an alternative. Furthermore, tenodesis may be indicated for pain isolated to the biceps tendon. The incidence of BT among professional baseball players is unknown, as are the rates of return to play (RTP). The purpose of this study was to determine RTP rates after BT among professional baseball players. Methods: Major League Baseball (MLB) has maintained a prospective database containing all major and minor league baseball players who have undergone shoulder surgery since 2010. Using this database we determined the incidence, demographics, position, prior surgical history, concomitant procedures, RTP rates, time to RTP, and performance upon RTP for professional baseball players following BT. Minimum follow-up was 2 years. Results: Between 2010 and 2013, 17 professional baseball players underwent BT, of which 71% were pitchers, and 29% were in the major league. Forty-seven percent had a history of prior shoulder surgery and 47% underwent concomitant labral repair. Overall RTP after BT was 35%. RTP for isolated BT was 44% in 0.8±0.5 years while RTP for those who underwent both BT and labral repair was 25% (p=0.620). All players who RTP were able to return to at least ten games at their pre-operative level of play. Return to professional play was significantly more common among position players than pitchers (80% vs. 17%, p=0.028). RTP was less common among players with prior shoulder surgery, but this was not statistically significant (56% vs. 13%, p=0.131). For those players who did RTP, pre-operative and post-operative performance was unchanged. Conclusion: Professional baseball players who undergo biceps tenodesis have a 35% rate of return to their prior level of play. While pitchers have only a 16% rate of return to play, position players have an 80% rate of return to play. Furthermore, 100% of those who returned to baseball played at least 10 games at their pre-operative level with no significant change in performance statistics. Professional baseball players who choose to undergo biceps tenodesis should be counseled regarding the low rates or return to play. Pitchers in particular may have a poor prognosis following tenodesis. However, given the small sample size and concomitant procedures, further study is needed before definitive conclusions can be made.

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