Sports Injury in Mt Sterling KY

Shoulder and Arm Injuries in Youth Baseball Players, A Chiropractor's Perspective

It is that time of year again when the sun peaks out through the clouds and the kids are getting the gear ready to play baseball. It’s so fun to see the kids imitating the big league baseball players. Some of my best times in life were playing baseball and the relationships that are forged with it are unbeatable.

This post goes through some of the finer details of what to prepare for this summer and how to prevent your child from getting injured. I see it every year, kids, that are overdoing it-not following their pitch counts, and they end up injured. There are some new recommendations out too. Major League Baseballs Pitching Guide, as well as the American Sports Medicine Institute, are coming out with some very forward suggestions that kids should follow and listen up to… Moms, dads, and coaches should too. Everyone should be well aware of the safety of the game, and more importantly the injuries that could happen as well. If you're experiencing a sports injury in Mt Sterling KY, our chiropractor can help.

The Biggest Problem in Mt Sterling KY

The biggest problem to look out for is shoulder problems in the front or in the back. And because chiropractic ties into the neck, back, and shoulder-it’s important to remember it all ties in together. Every major sports team in the circuit has a chiropractor on staff: to keep the athlete on the field and playing the way they should be playing. Research shows that youngsters pitching with arm pain and fatigue are 36 times more likely to have been doing it in the past. (1) Therefore if it’s the first complaint, it should be noted that it should be checked out right away, and put the arm and shoulder on ice the day of the game.

Left without treatment those players eventually end up having arm surgery, shoulder surgery, elbow surgery, and can never pitch again. Research also shows that players that pitched more than 100 innings in any one given year were 3.5 times more likely to have an injury leading to surgery. It’s not just the innings either, it’s the kinds of pitches that are thrown. Just because your youth has a killer cutting curveball should not mean that is his primary pitch. Pitches should vary between the curves, sliders, and fastballs.

Parents should be looking out for their players as well. Watching him on the field you should be watching for fatigue and signs of distress with the shoulder. Consult with your player and be open and honest in telling him that his future is much brighter if he doesn’t have a chronic problem as he ages. Watch on the field specifically for grabbing off the elbow and of the neck; signs of grabbing or shaking of the arm or the shoulder are another indicator. Parents usually know the player's normal routine, and if it varies in any way-this should raise caution that the player is getting fatigued. Take some time the next week and ask: “how’s the arm holding up?”