The New Wave in Youth Sports Injuries: Proximal Humeral Epiphysiolysis (Little Leaguer's Shoulder)
Little Leaguers Shoulder was first reported in California Medicine by Dr. JE Adams in 1966. At that time Dr. Adams had a case study where he observed 5 youth baseball athletes with osteochondrosis of the proximal humeral epiphysis. In essence, the growth plate of the head of the humerus was separating due to the forces and stress of repetitive throwing. It was also noted that the condition of proximal humeral epiphysis was very consistent and similar to the popularly known "Little Leaguers Elbow" or medial epicondylar epiphysis. At the time the article was published Dr. Adams had suggested better medical supervision and rule changes to limit the amount of pitches a youth baseball athlete participates in until the growth plates close.
Flash forward now to 2009, just 43 years after Dr. Adams published his finding of "Little Leaguers Shoulder". From August to October of 2008 I have worked with 4 youth baseball athletes that had been diagnosed with "Little Leaguers Shoulder". All 4 had confirmed widening of the epiphysial plates through radiographs. All 4 were very talented (for their ages) baseball athletes and had shared very similar signs and symptoms as well as mechanisms of their shoulder injuries. The signs and symptoms were of non-descript pain throughout the shoulder while throwing a baseball. The pain continued well after each athlete was done playing the game and was present during physical examination from their respective medical doctors.
One father described how he had his son up on the mound throwing fastballs as hard as his son could while he had a radar gun out. His son was throwing 65 mile an hour fastballs.....but his son was only 10 years old.
Even with the added pitch counts that are now placed within the rules of Little League Baseball the existing situation that was reported 43 years ago remains ongoing today.....but the numbers are increasing.
What can we do about it?
Give children a solid foundation of multiple, movement patterning enriched programs. Exercise and a variety of sports that focus on mastery of movement and skill before competition would be ideal to help decrease life-damaging injuries sustained at such an early age
Chris Blake,MA,CSCS,YCSII Scholastic Sports Performance http://www.scholasticsportsperformance.com
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