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Baseball Arm Injuries
You Can Avoid

youth baseball coaching tips for pitching

Preventing baseball arm injuries becomes pretty simple when you find out the causes and reasons that lead to injuries in baseball.

Avoiding the situations that put pitchers at risk of pitching injury is the key. Knowing baseball fundamentals and youth baseball rules helps too.

Having plenty of pitchers on your team is another safety feature. I recommend at least 4 pitchers per age year on every team. The more the better--give everyone a chance to pitch.

Pitch Count & Prevention of
Injuries Recommendations

  •  Baseball players are advised to not pitch for more than one team simultaneously to avoid pitching injury. Baseball Arm injuries in baseball increase when pitchers pitch on multiple teams.
  •  Baseball players are advised to skip youth baseball showcases especially for pitchers. Youth baseball injuries increase the risk of joint injury when trying to overthrow and impress baseball scouts.
  •  Avoid the urge to return a pitcher to the mound later in the game after they have been removed even though youth baseball rules allow for this. Baseball pitcher injuries can be the result.
  •  Pitchers with proper pitching mechanics, pitching techniques, and baseball pitching drills reduce wear and tear on their pitching arms. Have a knowledgeable pitching instructor at an early age to learn the baseball fundamentals.
  •  Poor pitching mechanics and baseball pitching techniques along with throwing curveballs at an early age appears to increase the risk of youth pitching injuries. Injuries in baseball can be easily decreased when properly teaching baseball fundamentals.
  •  Youth baseball injuries can be decreased by taking a 3 month break from hard overhand throwing during the year. The arm joints need a length of time to recover and rest. Professional baseball players call this the off-season.
  •  Develop multiple pitchers. Do not rely on a couple of pitchers for the entire season. Have three or four pitchers per age year at least on your pitching staff. Arm injuries and pitching injuries will increase if you only pitch one or two pitchers all the time.

 Don’t forget that these same two pitchers are probably playing shortstop and catcher too. This further puts these players at risk of baseball injuries.

Youth Sports Baseball Pitch Counts

If a player is complaining of an arm baseball injury from pain in the elbow or shoulder of the throwing arm then a period of rest is highly recommended. The player should be immediately taken out the game.

If the arm injuries pain persists over more than several days or reoccurs while pitching again, then medical attention should be sought.

Baseball Arm injuries in baseball can be avoided when the adults have knowledge of how to prevent baseball injuries.

USA Baseball Medical & Safety Advisory Committee Pitch Count Recommendations.

Recommended youth league pitch counts for 9-10 yr olds and little league players.

  • 50 pitches per game
  •  75 pitches per week
  • 1000 pitches per season

Recommended youth league pitch count for 11-12 yr olds and little league pitch counts.

  • 75 pitches per game
     100 pitches per week
    • 1000 pitches per season
    • 3000 pitches per year

Recommended youth league pitch counts for 13-14 yr olds.

  • 75 pitches per game
    • 125 pitches per week
    • 1000 pitches per season
    • 3000 pitches per year

Most high school baseball leagues have weekly inning limits for pitchers usually around 10 innings per week to help coaches avoid baseball arm inuries by over-throwing pitchers.

Coaches have to monitor individual pitch counts. One hundred pitches per game are about enough for one days work although that is not in the youth baseball rules.

Pitch counts are kept for live game pitches. These recommendations do not count warm-ups, practice bullpen sessions, and other throws when playing and practicing other positions. 

Pitching Checklist

Return to Pitching 101 from Baseball Arm Injuries

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