What is Little Leaguers Elbow?

Little leaguers elbow is a rising issue in today’s world of youth baseball. Little leaguers elbow is an injury that occurs when the muscles used in the throw begin to damage the medial epicondyle of the humerus. It is an injury that can affect the growth plate resulting in permanent damage. Symptoms to look for when diagnosing little leaguers elbow include, pain and swelling on the interior part of the elbow and decreased range of motion due to pain. It is important that if any of the symptoms occur immediate action is taken.

Little leaguers elbow is most common in athletes from theage of 10-18. This is because at this age they are still growing and their body is more susceptible to overuse injuries.

Little leaguers elbow is an injury often caused by overuse. It is a very common injury in the southern regions of the United Sates where baseball is played year-round. When young athletes are exposed to an increased amount of stress on their elbow they are much more likely to become injured.

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The best way to treat little leaguers elbow is to prevent it. This can be easily done by monitoring pitch counts and
throwing mechanics. It is important that a weekly log is taken that records the amount of pitches are thrown day to day. Pitch count is very important statistic because it helps keep track of how much an athlete is using his/her arm. One guideline to follow when keeping track of pitch count is to stay between 80-100 pitches per week.
It is also important that throwing mechanics are carefully watched and maintained on a day to day, pitch to pitch
basis. One little flaw in mechanics can throw off the entire process of throwing and cause an injury. Since most of thestress during the throw is on the arm it is most likely that the injury will occur here. The type of pitch being thrown is another important thing to keep in mind. Any pitcher under the age of 14 should NOT throw any type of breaking ball. A breaking ball puts too much stress on the joints of the arm and at such a young age this could be very detrimental to the athlete’s health.

Tommy John Surgery

Tommy John surgery, named after Tommy John, a MLB pitcher and the first athlete to undergo the procedure.
The procedure is a reconstructive surgery on the ulnar collateral ligament and is often the result of little leaguers
elbow gone untreated. Today, the injury and eventual surgery are becoming more common in children ranging from 10-18 years of age due to increased season length and the more frequent use of breaking pitches by young pitchers. Children have an additional risk factor because of the open growth plates in young bones. In younger athletes in whom
the growth plate is still open. The procedure consists of replacing a ligament in the elbow. The ligament is then replaced with a tendon from another part of the body, most often the tendon is taken from the opposite wrist of the athletes throwing arm. Tommy John surgery will sideline an athlete for at least on year. During this year the athlete will go through
intensive rehabilitation .

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Coaches & Parents Should Be Aware

Overuse is the main cause of little leaguer’s elbow. Many coaches and parents want the athletes to practice as much as they can and as often as they can. In some regions of the US, 12 year olds are playing baseball year-round. It is important that the coaches and parents are aware of the symptoms of little leaguer’s elbow. If an athlete experiences any discomfort in his/her arm it is important that they rest it immediately. Not only should coaches and parents be aware of the symptoms they should also be knowledgeable on how to treat the injury. In the early stages of the injury it is important to rest and ice but if the injury becomes to severe medical attention should be sought out. By monitoring the athletes we create a safe and healthy environment for them to play baseball and enjoy themselves without risking a serious injury that could have been avoided.

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This page was last updated on November 28th, 2007 by Jeremy Harris (jharris2@ithaca.edu)