3 Ways to Prevent Little League Baseball Injuries

A recent report says some of the common baseball injuries in older kids and adults might stem from how kids learn to pitch early on. “It can start out, actually, as early as when they’re starting to pitch and throw when they’re 5-, 6- and 7-year-olds,” Brian Crellin MD, of the TriHealth Orthopedic and Spine Institute, tells Local 12’s Liz Bonis.

Dr. Crellin says elbow pain is a common office complaint during this time of year. “The elbow hurts, mainly, from an overuse injury and a lot of time that can lead to an acute type of injury, so this can be somewhat of an acute chronic injury,” he points out.

This elbow pain is often called little league elbow, but Dr. Crellin says that’s a catch-all for a number of problems that can cause some of this pain and swelling at a younger age. His job is to separate what could be wrong and stresses the importance of parents and coaches reducing this overuse injury from happening.

1. Learn Proper Mechanics

Kids need to learn proper mechanics early on. This way, they'll start off pitching and throwing with the correct technique, which will stave off problems later.

2. Rotate Through Positions

Coaches should rotate kids through all of the positions. "There's tons of statistics that state that pitchers at a young age do not become pitchers in the majors," Dr. Crellin says.

3. Don't Focus on Pitching Speed

Dr. Crellin also says kids shouldn’t focus on pitching speed. “Basically, there are guidelines and one of the guidelines is actually to stay away from the radar gun,” he explains. “Everybody’s so worried about velocity and stuff. A 7-year-old shouldn’t necessarily be worrying about the radar gun.”