The findings of a new study have revealed that the increase in youth pitching injuries requiring surgery is not due to lax pitching guidelines. Rather, this rise could actually be the result of parents and their children not adhering to these rules.
At the Shoulder Surgery Center of Excellence, you can speak with a shoulder surgeon in Los Angeles that is board certified and specializes in the treatment of sports injuries. Our surgeons perform minimally-invasive procedures which are renowned for their life-changing results and speedy recovery time. To learn more about our surgery center, please don’t hesitate to contact our world-class shoulder surgeons and schedule a consultation.
The Study’s Findings on Youth Pitching Injuries
The study showed that national pitching guidelines, which adhere to the “rule of ones” (one day of pitching, then one day of rest, one position at a time, one pitch before high school, one season playing another organized sport) are conducive to a minimal amount of pitching injuries. However, most kids and teens are not abiding by these rules, with 40 percent of pitchers between the ages of nine and 18 pitching in a league that does not recognize the pitching limits, 57 percent pitching on back-to-back-days, and 19 percent pitching in more than one game in a day.
As a result of this negligence, pitching injuries resulting in surgery are now 16 times more common than 30 years ago. With this increase in youth surgery, finding the right orthopedic surgeon is crucial for the most successful recovery down the line.
Pitching Injury Symptoms
Pitching injuries can occur in the elbow or shoulder (rotator cuff), typically within the ball-and-socket joint containing your upper arm bone (humerus), shoulder blade (scapula) and collarbone (clavicle). Symptoms of a pitching injury include:
- Pain around elbow
- Pain around shoulder
- Limited arm mobility
- Shoulder or elbow inflammation
- Weakness in shoulder muscles
Pitching or throwing injuries typically occur in the form of:
- SLAP (Superior Labrum Anterior to Posterior) tears
- Bicep tendinitis and tendon tears
- Rotator cuff tendinitis and tears
- Internal impingement
- Shoulder instability
- Glenohumeral internal rotation deficit (GIRD)
- Scapular rotation dysfunction (SICK Scapula)
If you are suffering from any of the above symptoms and believe you may have a pitching injury, it is important to seek treatment right away. Our orthopedic surgeons specialize in cutting-edge arthroscopic procedures which are minimally-invasive and require the least amount of recovery time.
Shoulder Surgery in Los Angeles
While some pitching or throwing injuries may be treated through non-surgical methods, there is a steady incline in pitching injuries that require surgery. Outpatient shoulder procedures available for treating these injuries include:
- Rotator cuff surgery – Performed arthroscopically, the rotator cuff repair involves three small incisions in the area surrounding the shoulder joint, which allows for the arthroscope to be inserted for examining the damage inside the joint. The surgeon will then repair the damage via shoulder arthroscopy. The entire procedure takes anywhere from as little as 30 minutes to just a few short hours, and patients can go home the same day.
- Shoulder decompression – This arthroscopic procedure is used to treat shoulder impingement syndrome, and involves only two small incisions, which allow the surgeon to repair the damaged tissue within the shoulder joint.
You can learn about other outpatient shoulder procedures performed by our orthopedic surgeons by contact the Shoulder Surgery Center of Excellence.
Contact an Orthopedic Surgeon in Los Angeles
If you have suffered from a throwing or pitching injury and are interested in treatment options, please don’t hesitate to contact the Shoulder Surgery Center of Excellence today. You can schedule a consultation with one of our shoulder specialists by filling out our online contact form or by calling (888) 847-0357.
Next, read about shoulder dislocation treatment.
