Build a foundation for future success.
Throwing is a fundamental skill in many sports, especially baseball and softball. For youth athletes, proper technique, gradual progressions, and safety measures are essential to ensure long-term success and reduce the risk of injury. Below, we outline key recommendations and provide downloadable resources to help parents, coaches, and young athletes navigate the complexities of youth throwing.
Key Principles for Safe Youth Throwing
Youth athletes are more vulnerable to overuse injuries due to developing musculoskeletal systems. The following guidelines are designed to encourage proper technique and gradual development:
- Focus on Mechanics First: Proper throwing mechanics are crucial to reducing injury risks. Before increasing intensity, athletes should work on correct form with the help of a qualified coach or therapist. Check our our page on Throwing Mechanics for some helpful tips/information.
- Monitor Workload: Gradual progression is key. Avoid throwing too many pitches or with excessive intensity early on. Following age-appropriate guidelines on pitch count and rest days is essential to prevent overuse injuries. Always remember to account for the added volume of throwing on multiple teams, playing multiple positions, or multiple throwing sports simultaneously!
- Prioritize Recovery: Recovery is just as important as practice. Ensure young athletes get enough rest between throwing sessions, especially after games or intense training. Mobility and strengthening exercises can aid recovery.
Age-Specific Throwing Recommendations
Ages 5-8
Fundamental Skills
At this age, athletes should focus on basic motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Throwing mechanics can be introduced through fun, low-pressure drills.
Ages 9-12
Structured Progressions
This is the time to build a foundation of proper mechanics. Athletes should gradually increase their throwing distances and velocities while adhering to pitch count guidelines. Strengthening exercises for the core and lower body are essential.
Ages 13-15
Increasing Intensity
As athletes reach adolescence, they can start to introduce more complex throwing drills and plyometric exercises. However, monitoring workload remains important to avoid arm injuries.
Ages 16-18+
Specialization and Refinement
Athletes at this level may begin to specialize in pitching or other throwing-intensive positions. More advanced training can be introduced, including sports-specific strength training, but care should be taken to avoid burnout and injuries.
Common Youth Throwing Injuries
Little League Elbow (medial epicondyle apophysitis): overuse injury of the inner elbow due to repetitive microtrauma that leads to growth plate disruption (11-16yo)
- Can lead to delayed or abnormal growth of epicondyle
- If not addressed, can turn in to traction apophysitis or complete fracture
- Needs to rest/heal for a minimum of 6-12 weeks or they may need a screw fixation (and a long rehab)
Little League Shoulder (proximal humeral epiphysiolysis): a stress injury that occurs in the shoulder of young athletes when the growth plate of the upper arm bone is still open
- Physeal injury to the proximal humerus
- Typically seen in adolescent throwers between 11-16y
- Overuse microtrauma eventual fracture of hypertrophic zone of growth plate
- Treatment = cessation from throwing AT LEAST 3mo, maximize strength/ROM
SLAP tear (superior labrum, anterior to posterior): an injury to the superior glenoid labrum that initiates in the back of the labrum and stretches toward the front into the attachment point of the long head of the biceps tendon
- Throwing causes a “peel-back” mechanism at the biceps/labrum interface
- 80% of asymptomatic baseball pitchers have some degree of labral pathology
- MRI findings: not 100% that patient will need surgery
- Must address other deficits in shoulder and kinetic chain before decision for surgery is made
- Surgery rates are suboptimal for SLAP repair (~50-60% return to sport rate)
Shoulder Bursitis/Synovitis (inflammation): generalized pain/discomfort in and around the shoulder related to overuse and lack of rest
- Usually a progressive-onset that can become painful at rest
- Can be accompanied by reduced shoulder range of motion (GIRD: glenohumeral internal rotation deficit)
- Modifications to throwing volume and mechanics are needed
UCL Tear/Sprain (ulnar collateral ligament): tear of the inner ligament of the elbow that provides significant stability to valgus strain of the elbow while throwing
- Precludes the infamous “Tommy John” surgery
- Very long rehab: 12-18 months
- Valgus loading in elite pitchers (fastball) approaches and/or exceeds the tensile strength of the UCL
- Native tensile strength = ~33N
- Fastball >95mph = 35-65N
- Valgus loads are repetitive and significant, leading to attenuation of the ligament or disruption at bony footprint
- Usually in older throwers, but unfortunately we’re seeing them younger and younger (~15yo)
Pitch Count Guidelines and Rest Recommendations
- COMING SOON
Additional references:
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