from Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
We are well into baseball season and elbow
injuries, once seen only among professional
players, are becoming ten times more
common among high school and middle
school players. The reason is increased play
and competition at young levels. At issue is
the UCL—an important stabilizing ligament of
the elbow joint. When overused the UCL can
lead to pain and eventually inability to pitch
and throw. A review in the Journal of the
American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons
discourages young athletes from participating
on multiple teams, especially during the
same season and to take three to four
months off from throwing between seasons.
It urges following other prevention guidelines
for athletes, coaches and parents issued from
the American Sports Medicine Institute.