Elbow Injuries in Youth Baseball Players Without Prior Elbow Pain: A 1-Year Prospective Study

BACKGROUND: Many risk factors for throwing injuries have been proposed. However, little is known about the risk factors for elbow injuries, particularly on physeal injuries in youth baseball players without prior elbow pain. PURPOSE: To investigate the risk factors for elbow injuries with a focus on physeal injuries that could predispose youth baseball players without elbow pain to elbow injuries. STUDY DESIGN: A prospective epidemiology study. METHODS: In 2006, 449 players without prior elbow pain were observed prospectively for 1 season to study injury incidence in relation to specific risk factors. The average age was 10.1 years (range, 7-11 years). One year later, all players were examined by administering a questionnaire, physical examination, and radiographic examination. Data for the groups with and without elbow pain were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression models. RESULTS: Among the 449 participants, 30.5% reported episodes of elbow pain during the season. Of the players who reported elbow pain, 72.3% presented abnormal findings on physical examination, and of those players, 81.4% had radiographic abnormalities. Multivariate analysis showed that the age of 12 years (at 1-year examination), pitcher and catcher positions, and playing more than 100 games per year were risk factors for elbow pain. CONCLUSION: It is expected that 30% of youth baseball players have elbow pain each year, and nearly 60% of players with elbow pain exhibit radiographic abnormalities. The age of 12 years, pitcher and catcher positions, and playing more than 100 games per year are risk factors for elbow pain.