What Are Some Typical Injuries That Result From Softball Or Baseball, And What Can I Do To Prevent Them?

Dr. Neal Chen answers the question: 'Preventing Softball, Baseball Injuries?'

ByABC News
December 22, 2008, 3:55 PM

July 1, 2009— -- Question: What are some typical injuries that result from softball or baseball, and what can I do to prevent them?

Answer: Common baseball injuries include overhead throwing injuries of the shoulder and elbow and fractures of the wrist and fingers. It's been found that when little league pitchers throw more than 100 pitches in a session or more than eight months out of the year, it dramatically increases their odds of needing surgery. In addition, it's helpful to try to stretch out the back of the shoulder to really get that posterior capsule stretched out. If you do sleeper stretches regularly, you can protect getting elbow or shoulder injuries.

Finally, its worthwhile trying to keep the knob of your bat out of your palm. Keeping the knob of the bat out in your palm may help you generate more power, but it also increases your likelihood of getting wrist fractures.