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 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.

scholarly journals Epidemiology and Impact of Abdominal Oblique Injuries in Major and Minor League Baseball

2017 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 232596711769402 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher L. Camp ◽  
Stan Conte ◽  
Steven B. Cohen ◽  
Matthew Thompson ◽  
John D’ Angelo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Platelet Rich Plasma ◽  
Tracking System ◽  
Injury Rate ◽  
Professional Baseball ◽  
Baseball Players ◽  
Injury Rates ◽  
Minor League Baseball ◽  
Time Out ◽  
Minor League ◽  
Plasma Injection

Background: Oblique injuries are known to be a common cause of time out of play for professional baseball players, and prior work has suggested that injury rates may be on the rise in Major League Baseball (MLB). Purpose: To better understand the current incidence of oblique injuries, determine their impact based on time out of play, and to identify common injury patterns that may guide future injury prevention programs. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiological study. Methods: Using the MLB Health and Injury Tracking System, all oblique injuries that resulted in time out of play in MLB and Minor League Baseball (MiLB) during the 2011 to 2015 seasons were identified. Player demographics such as age, position/role, and handedness were included. Injury-specific factors analyzed included the following: date of injury, timing during season, days missed, mechanism, side, treatment, and reinjury status. Results: A total of 996 oblique injuries occurred in 259 (26%) MLB and 737 (74%) MiLB players. Although the injury rate was steady in MiLB, the MLB injury rate declined ( P = .037). A total of 22,064 days were missed at a mean rate of 4413 days per season and 22.2 days per injury. The majority of these occurred during batting (n = 455, 46%) or pitching (n = 348, 35%), with pitchers losing 5 days more per injury than batters ( P < .001). The leading side was injured in 77% of cases and took 5 days longer to recover from than trailing side injuries ( P = .009). Seventy-nine (7.9%) players received either a corticosteroid or platelet-rich plasma injection, and the mean recovery time was 11 days longer compared with those who did not receive an injection ( P < .001). Conclusion: Although the rate of abdominal oblique injuries is on the decline in MLB, this is not the case for MiLB, and these injuries continue to represent a significant source of time out of play in professional baseball. The vast majority of injuries occur on the lead side, and these injuries result in the greatest amount time out of play. The benefit of injections for the treatment of oblique injuries remains unknown.

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.

Ankle and Lower Leg Injuries in Professional Baseball Players

2020 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 908-915 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher J. Lucasti ◽  
Myles Dworkin ◽  
William J. Warrender ◽  
Brian Winters ◽  
Steven Cohen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Surveillance System ◽  
Tracking System ◽  
Lower Leg ◽  
Injury Surveillance ◽  
Professional Baseball ◽  
Injury Surveillance System ◽  
Baseball Players ◽  
Minor League Baseball ◽  
Leg Injuries ◽  
Minor League

Background: Ankle and lower leg injuries are very common in sports, and numerous studies have discussed their diagnosis and management. Our study differs in that we report lower leg injuries in professional baseball players spanning the 2011-2016 seasons by utilizing a comprehensive injury surveillance system developed by Major League Baseball (MLB). Purpose: To determine the injury characteristics of ankle and lower leg injuries in professional baseball players during the 2011-2016 seasons by utilizing the MLB injury surveillance system. Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study. Methods: Our study is a descriptive epidemiological evaluation through a retrospective review of injury data from the MLB Health and Injury Tracking System (HITS) since its implementation in 2010. We included any professional baseball player (MLB and Minor League Baseball [MiLB]) who was identified as having an ankle or lower leg injury between January 1, 2011, and February 28, 2017. Results: Over the study period, there were a total of 4756 injuries, of which 763 (16%) occurred in MLB players and 3993 (84%) occurred in MiLB players. The mean number of days missed for all players was 27.8 ± 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 MLB and 1,796,607 AEs in MiLB. Of the 4756 injuries recorded, 550 (12%) took place during the MLB regular season, and 3320 (70%) took place during the MiLB regular season. Injuries in MLB players, 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, this is the only epidemiological study to focus primarily on ankle and lower leg injuries in professional baseball players, utilizing an injury surveillance system developed by MLB.

Epidemiology and Impact of Hand and Wrist Injuries in Major and Minor League Baseball

Hand ◽  
2019 ◽  
pp. 155894471986445 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Charles Rhee ◽  
Christopher L. Camp ◽  
John D’Angelo ◽  
Vishal S. Desai ◽  
Steven S. Shin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Tracking System ◽  
Return To Play ◽  
Wrist Injuries ◽  
Injury Surveillance System ◽  
Baseball Players ◽  
Minor League Baseball ◽  
Scaphoid Fractures ◽  
System A ◽  
Minor League ◽  
Major League

Background: Professional baseball players are at risk of acute and chronic injuries to their upper extremities. Methods: Major League Baseball’s Health and Injury Tracking System, a prospective injury surveillance system, was used to identify and characterize all hand and wrist injuries sustained by all Major League Baseball (MLB) and Minor League Baseball (MiLB) players during the pre-, regular, and postseason throughout 2011-2016. Injuries were included if they resulted in at least 1 day out of play and were sustained during standard baseball activities. Days missed were defined as the time between injury and the first time in which a player was cleared to return to play. Results: During the study period, there were 4478 hand and 1748 wrist injuries throughout MLB and MiLB, which resulted in a total of 105 246 days out of play. This was equivalent to the length of 575 individual MLB player seasons, and the mean days missed per injury was 17 days. Most injuries were traumatic in nature, with 43% (n = 2672) of players injured after being hit by a baseball that mainly occurred during batting (n = 2521; 40%). Injuries that most frequently required surgical intervention were hook of hamate fractures (72%) and scaphoid fractures (60%). Conclusions: Understanding the epidemiology and impact of hand and wrist injuries in MLB and MiLB players may lead to improved management of these injuries and reduce time away from play. Most importantly, preventive measures and/or enhanced protective gear may be developed to minimize these types of injuries in MLB and MiLB.

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 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 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 Comparative Analysis of the Nonoperative Treatment of Elbow Ulnar Collateral Ligament Injuries in Professional Baseball Players with and without Platelet-Rich Plasma

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (7_suppl4) ◽  
pp. 2325967118S0008 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Douglas McQueen ◽  
Christopher L. Camp ◽  
Aakash Chauhan ◽  
Brandon J. Erickson ◽  
Hollis G. Potter ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Recovery Time ◽  
Platelet Rich Plasma ◽  
Ulnar Collateral Ligament ◽  
Nonoperative Treatment ◽  
Return To Play ◽  
Professional Baseball ◽  
Collateral Ligament ◽  
Baseball Players ◽  
Minor League Baseball ◽  
Minor League

Objectives: In the setting of ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injury, surgical reconstruction of the UCL is not always selected, as it leads to a prolonged recovery time and return to play rates between 67-95%. To date, there is limited data on outcomes following nonoperative treatment in this population. Orthobiologics, such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP), have recently been used as an adjunct therapy for standard nonoperative treatment including rest and physical therapy for UCL injuries. The objective of this study was to determine if the addition of PRP injections in professional baseball players with UCL injuries reduces recovery time, lowers the likelihood of surgery, and increases the return to play rate compared to traditional nonoperative treatment. Methods: The Health and Injury Tracking System (HITS) database was searched from 2011-2015 for Major and Minor league baseball players with Grade I, II or III UCL injuries. Standard demographic, injury, and return to play data was obtained for all players. MRI’s for 353 athletes were reviewed by a musculoskeletal radiologist and graded accordingly. Outcomes were compared between players who received PRP injections in addition to traditional nonoperative treatment (PRP group) and players who received traditional nonoperative treatment alone (No PRP group). Statistical analysis was performed using Student’s T-test and Chi-square for parametric data. Kaplan Meier’s analysis was used for estimating longevity of the treatment. Results: A total of 544 Major and Minor League Baseball players with UCL tears underwent an initial course of nonoperative treatment (active rest & rehabilitation) for their injury between 2011-2015. Of these, 133 underwent PRP injections plus rehab and 411 underwent rehab alone. There was a significantly higher proportion of Major League Baseball players in the PRP group compared to the No PRP group (25.6% vs 9.0%, P<0.001). There was no difference between the two cohorts in regard to the grade of UCL tear (Figure 1). The players in the PRP group had a significantly longer time before returning to a throwing program compared to the No PRP group (64 days vs 51 days, P<0.001). The mean time from injury date to PRP injection was 14.5 days, which may explain the difference in time to return to throwing. The return to play rate in a live game without surgery was significantly lower in the PRP group compared to the No PRP group (46% vs 57%, P=0.03). There was no difference in the proportion of athletes requiring UCL reconstruction (58% vs 51%) or the time to surgery (154 days vs 178 days) between the two groups. Kaplan Meier survivor analysis showed no difference between the PRP and No PRP groups with regard to longevity of the native UCL (Figure 2). Conclusion: Among Major and Minor League Baseball players who were treated nonoperatively for a UCL injury between 2011-2015, 24% underwent PRP injections prior to rehab. Compared to traditional nonoperative rehab alone program, players who received PRP injections experienced a significantly longer time before returning to throwing, which may be in part due to the delay between the injury date and PRP injection. PRP injections did not appear to have a significant effect on the likelihood of surgical intervention.

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.

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