In baseball, the focus on performance can sometimes overshadow a crucial aspect of the game: player health. Overuse injuries, particularly to the arm, are a significant concern for both pitchers and position players. These injuries, often a result of playing with fatigue, poor training habits, or excessive workload, can sideline athletes for weeks, months, or even years. Coaches and players need to understand the risk factors associated with overuse injuries to keep players healthy and performing at their best.
The Risks of Arm Fatigue and Pain
Arm injuries, especially in pitchers, are among the most common and debilitating in baseball. It’s essential to recognize the impact of fatigue and pain on injury risk.
- Playing with Arm Fatigue: When players play through fatigue, the risk of injury dramatically increases. In fact, players who continue to play with arm fatigue face 13.32 times greater odds of injury.
- Regularly Pitching with Arm Fatigue: For pitchers, regularly taking the mound while fatigued raises the risk even further. The odds of injury increase by 36 times for players who pitch with arm fatigue repeatedly.
- Pitching with Arm Pain: If a player pitches while experiencing arm pain, their injury risk increases by 7.5 times. This highlights the importance of listening to one's body and not pushing through pain.
Pitch Smart: Key Risk Factors
USA Baseball's Pitch Smart guidelines are designed to help players and coaches manage the workload of pitchers and reduce the risk of injury. Several risk factors have been identified that directly correlate with overuse injuries:
1. Playing While Fatigued
Playing when fatigued—whether from a previous game or over the course of a long season—is a major risk factor. Fatigue decreases the body’s ability to perform at a high level and increases the likelihood of improper mechanics, which can lead to injury.
2. Throwing Too Many Innings Over the Year
Excessive pitching workload across an entire season can also contribute to injury. Specifically:
- Players who throw more than 100 innings in a year are three times more likely to suffer an injury. Overloading the arm in this way increases wear and tear, often leading to chronic injuries.
3. Lack of Time Off
Rest is just as critical as activity in preventing injuries. Players who play more than 8 months of baseball each year without rest are five times more likely to suffer an injury. A solid off-season with sufficient recovery time allows the body to repair and strengthen.
4. Pitch Count and Recovery
Not all pitches are created equal, and over-pitching—especially without proper rest—can lead to serious issues.
- Following pitch count guidelines and ensuring players get appropriate recovery time between outings is crucial. Failing to rest adequately between pitches or games increases the chance of injury.
5. Pitching on Consecutive Days
Pitching on back-to-back days puts unnecessary strain on the arm and body. The muscles and tendons do not have enough time to recover, and this lack of rest can lead to injuries over time.
6. Pitching for Multiple Teams
Playing for multiple teams can be especially risky, as it increases a player’s overall workload. When a player is pitching for different teams, coaches may not be aware of how much pitching the player is doing elsewhere, which can result in overuse injuries.
7. Pitchers playing multiple positions
Playing multiple positions while also pitching can increase the risk of overuse injuries. This is especially true for athletes who play both catcher and pitcher, as catchers have a higher throwing volume than other positions. This does not allow the arm the proper healing time between pitching outings, leading to increased stress on the muscles, ligaments and tendons over the course of the season.
8. Pitching with Injuries in Other Areas of the Body
If a player is already injured in other parts of their body (such as the legs or back), their mechanics might change to compensate. This can lead to improper throwing mechanics and increase the risk of arm injuries.
9. Neglecting Strength and Conditioning
A lack of proper strength and conditioning can make muscles and joints more vulnerable to injury. Ensuring players engage in a well-rounded training program that focuses on strength, flexibility, and mobility will help reduce the risk of injury.
10. Throwing Curveballs and Sliders at a Young Age
While the mechanics of throwing certain pitches like curveballs and sliders can put stress on the arm, the real issue is often the age at which kids start throwing them. Curveballs and sliders are not pitches that are inherently bad for the arm. Rather, young pitchers who can throw these pitches are likely the better pitchers on the team and tend to pitch more frequently, leading to greater wear and tear. It’s crucial to avoid focusing on these pitches too early and to limit their use until the body is mature enough to handle the stress.
11. Radar Gun Use
While radar guns can be exciting and motivating for young players, they can also be a source of unneeded stress on the arm. Both children and adults may be tempted to throw harder than their bodies are capable of when using radar guns, which can strain muscles, tendons and ligaments and lead to injuries.
Prioritizing Player Health in Baseball Sports Performance Training
The primary goal for coaches and players should always be health and longevity in the game. While it’s tempting to push players to their limits in pursuit of success, the long-term risks of overuse injuries far outweigh the benefits of overthrowing. By being aware of the key risk factors and following guidelines such as Pitch Smart, we can help protect players from injury and ensure they continue to play the game they love for years to come.
Tips for Coaches and Players to Avoid Overuse Injuries:
- Regularly monitor player fatigue levels and adjust workloads accordingly.
- Stick to pitch count guidelines and allow adequate recovery time.
- Encourage athletes to take proper rest during the off-season.
- Avoid pushing young players to throw pitches like curveballs and sliders until they’re physically ready.
- Foster a culture of strength and conditioning to build resilience against injuries.
By emphasizing player health and proper training, we can reduce the incidence of overuse injuries in baseball and ensure a safer, more sustainable path to success on the field.
At Engineered Performance by DMOS, we’re here to help you recover stronger, train harder and see results on and off the field. Learn more about our sports performance training classes and sign up for a free trial today.
