Shoulder Injury Prevention in Adolescent Baseball Players through Ballistic Training
Poster Number
015
College
College of Education
Department
Physical Education, Sport & Human Performance
Faculty Mentor
Joni Boyd, Ph.D.
Abstract
The purpose of this review of literature is to examine the prevalence of and preventative measures for shoulder injuries in baseball pitchers. Approximately 5,000,000 Americans between 6 and 17 years of age play baseball, and despite pitching guidelines from the American Sports Medicine Institute (ASMI), rates of shoulder injuries and surgeries in youth pitchers are high. Throughout this review, multiple shoulder injury prevention methods are discussed. Several studies have shown that individuals who follow the guidelines and limit their pitching volumes are at lower risk for shoulder injuries including impingements, tears, and tendonitis. Others have demonstrated that, by implementing a strength-training program with a focus on shoulder strength, overhead athletes, including baseball pitchers, will decrease their risks of injury. A final study discussed the possibility of implementing a plyometric-based program to increase supraspinatus strength and decrease injury risk. The results suggested that this would be an effective way to increase the shoulder strength of high school baseball pitchers and lower their chances of shoulder injury. However, the results of this study were based on a very small sample size and must be tested further before plyometric training for shoulder strength can be recommended and implemented. This review of literature is significant because it introduces a possible new method of injury prevention for baseball pitchers and can possibly help reduce injury and surgery rates among youth players.
Course Assignment
PESH 381 – Boyd
Start Date
12-4-2019 12:00 PM
End Date
April 2019
Shoulder Injury Prevention in Adolescent Baseball Players through Ballistic Training
Rutledge Building
The purpose of this review of literature is to examine the prevalence of and preventative measures for shoulder injuries in baseball pitchers. Approximately 5,000,000 Americans between 6 and 17 years of age play baseball, and despite pitching guidelines from the American Sports Medicine Institute (ASMI), rates of shoulder injuries and surgeries in youth pitchers are high. Throughout this review, multiple shoulder injury prevention methods are discussed. Several studies have shown that individuals who follow the guidelines and limit their pitching volumes are at lower risk for shoulder injuries including impingements, tears, and tendonitis. Others have demonstrated that, by implementing a strength-training program with a focus on shoulder strength, overhead athletes, including baseball pitchers, will decrease their risks of injury. A final study discussed the possibility of implementing a plyometric-based program to increase supraspinatus strength and decrease injury risk. The results suggested that this would be an effective way to increase the shoulder strength of high school baseball pitchers and lower their chances of shoulder injury. However, the results of this study were based on a very small sample size and must be tested further before plyometric training for shoulder strength can be recommended and implemented. This review of literature is significant because it introduces a possible new method of injury prevention for baseball pitchers and can possibly help reduce injury and surgery rates among youth players.
