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Baseball is one of the biggest sports in America and is known worldwide. As with any sport, there are some risks of making this your career. Here are 5 injuries you should look out for and get treated as soon as you can. This is especially prudent for those at the start of their careers or on scholarships.
Rotator Cuff Injuries
Whether you are pitching or batting you are likely to have a lot of pressure on your shoulder during play and so it’s no surprise that rotator cuffs tend to suffer injury commonly. While batters can mitigate this by distributing the pressure to the elbow and arm, pitchers are the most vulnerable as every position puts strain on the shoulder. Rotator cuff tears cause major swelling and pain in the shoulder, it will lead to the player being unable to rotate the shoulder and is at least a season-ending injury. Without proper treatment it is also likely a career-ending injury as well. If the muscle is fully torn it will likely require surgery, but if it’s found early enough before actual muscle tearing occurs it can be helped and managed with the guidance of a licensed physical therapist.
Muscle Strain
No matter what your position on the field, you are likely to experience muscle strain from the potentially awkward movements you make through play, and the muscles used as you switch from batting to running or from throwing to landing when fielding or pitching. The common areas for strain are the legs, particularly the quadriceps and hamstrings, as a lot of warmups tend to focus on arms to prevent major career-ending issues. Those suffering from strain will find the symptoms are varied depending on severity and the person themselves, most experience pain and muscle weakness. Physical therapy can help with this injury alongside using the RICE technique to rest the muscle, ice it, as well as providing compression and elevation.
Ankle Sprain
While everyone experiences some potential muscle strain, runners are more likely to risk ankle sprains. This is particularly of concern for fields at lower leagues, little league or high school that may not be as well-groomed so leaving the surface of the field uneven. These injuries tend to occur at the base plate or bag if the player hits it awkwardly. It’s not as common in baseball as it is in other sports, but it is an injury that requires time to recover. Players can expect anywhere from a week to a month recovery depending on how serious the sprain is. Recovery time will be more useful if you take the time to rest the injury and follow medical advice.
UCL Injury
Unilateral collateral ligament injury (UCL) is damage to a ligament that stabilizes the elbow. Repeated stress from throwing can lead to weakness developing in the ligaments and potential tearing in the soft tissue. It typically worsens over time and players can often describe the moment it started as they experienced their elbow popping followed by immediate pain. As the tears worsen, players will find they’re unable to control their throws as they did before and will see a decrease in their speed. Eventually, major tears will require surgery to reconstruct the ligament. This is known as Tommy John surgery, so named because the first person to experience the procedure was major league pitcher Tommy John in 1974. Rest and physical therapy early on can help prevent the injury worsening if you catch it in time.
Torn Labrum
Unfortunately, it doesn’t get better for pitchers as that repeated strain from throwing can also lead to a torn labrum, the ring of cartilage in the shoulder, leading to instability and weakness in the joint. It is very likely to require intensive surgery which will require a lot of time to recover as well as a slow build-up of strength and form eventually. Even then, it can be hard for pitchers to regain their previous levels of form and ability after the injury. Physical therapy and rest can help with recovery, but it will be a lengthy process.
Baseball, like any other sport, has the potential to cause potentially life altering injuries but there are some things you can do to mitigate the risks. Take time to rest between games and not overwork yourself, let the muscles recover. Make sure before you do any practice or play that you are fully warmed up, so the muscles are ready. Avoid stretching the muscles until you’re warmed up to prevent further aggravation to them. Also don’t be afraid to investigate physical therapy or speaking to a medical professional as soon as something doesn’t feel right, you may just be catching a career ending injury early.
