The recent seminar on teen pitching injuries sponsored by USC Sports Medicine was a huge success. Dr. James Andrews, one of the foremost surgeons in the field of sports medicine, gave the keynote address and then took questions from the audience, a sizable crowd of baseball players, parents, and coaches from all across the greater Midlands region. Judging from their questions, comments, and lively feedback, it would seem that all 120 people who attended the event had a good time learning and talking about baseball injuries.
Unfortunately, Tommy Johns – a former Major League Baseball pitcher who underwent the first ever UCL (ulnar collateral ligament) reconstruction in 1974 – was unable to participate in the event because of an emergency health situation. But with the help of Dr. Jeffrey Guy and Dr. Christopher Mazoue, the audience was more than entertained. We were happy to have WIStv Columbia cover the event; their short news segment allowed a much wider audience get the seminar’s main message: that too much competitive pitching can lead to increased chances of serious shoulder and elbow injuries.
Most theories about teen pitching injuries stem from the belief that excessive use of certain types of pitches – curveballs, fastballs, etc. – was the primary cause of injuries in adolescent athletes. But as the panel illustrated, the most current sports medicine research doesn’t support such theories. Rather, the real threat to teen pitchers is simply over –exertion. Even young pitchers need time off of the mound; the doctors suggested that, at the very least, pitchers should give their arms a break for three months every year. Excessive tournament pitching, too, should be of some concern to coaches and parents.
One interesting piece of news that came out of the recent seminar was the announcement of a National Youth Injury Prevention Day, scheduled for initial launch some time in 2010. Sports medicine experts from every state plan to participate, with the ultimate goal of increasing awareness about the various dangers – and preventive measures – surrounding youth injuries.
USC Sports Medicine would like to thank everyone who helped to make this seminar such a success, including Dr. James Andrews, USC Head Baseball Coach Ray Tanner, WIStv Columbia, and all the players, parents, and coaches that were in attendance.
Photos Courtesy of Mike Oliver, ASMI
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