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Little League Shoulder Injury
Category: Shoulder Pain
Jun 26, 2006
Q: My 13-year-old son has been complaining of upper arm pain associated with his pitching. I've been meaning to get him looked at, but he is the team's best pitcher and I think it is something he can play through. Besides, it's probably nothing anyway, right?
A: Wrong. Arm pain in an adolescent pitcher should be evaluated. A 13-year-old still has a growth plate in his upper arm that can be damaged with repetitive throwing. Boys his age are particularly at risk because they are beginning to get bigger and stronger and are starting to develop higher speeds with their pitches.
The growth plate is a weak point in the arm and fractures through this can occur.
Rotator cuff injury can also occur in the younger population as well. Poor strength balance should also be evaluated and a training program can be recommended if this is found to be present. It is becoming more common to see adult-type overuse syndromes and injuries in adolescent athletes due to overuse and over-training so, if he is hurting, get him checked out.