Background: The incidence rate of elbow injuries has been rising in recent years among professional baseball pitchers. Determining valid screening procedures that allow practitioners to identify pitchers at an increased risk of such injuries is therefore of critical importance. Purpose: To validate the use of countermovement jump (CMJ) tests as a diagnostic tool for pitcher conditioning. Study Design: Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: More than 500 pitchers at a single professional baseball organization performed preseason CMJ assessments on a force plate before the 2013 to 2018 seasons. Three measurements were extracted from ground-reaction force data during the test: eccentric rate of force development (ERFD), average vertical concentric force (AVCF), and concentric vertical impulse (CVI). Athletic trainers at the organization collected detailed information on elbow and shoulder injury rates as well as workload (pitch count) throughout the rest of the season. Poisson regression models were fit to investigate the dependency of injury rates on CMJ test performance. Results: ERFD, CVI, and AVCF were all significant predictors of elbow injury risk after accounting for pitcher age, weight, and workload. The analysis identified 3 specific indicators of heightened risk based on the results of a CMJ scan: low ERFD, a combination of low AVCF and high CVI, and a combination of high AVCF and low CVI. In contrast, shoulder injury risk was roughly independent of all 3 CMJ test measurements. Conclusion: This study supports the hypothesis of the entire kinetic chain’s involvement in pitching by establishing a link between CMJ test performance and elbow injury risk in professional baseball pitchers. CMJ assessment may be a powerful addition to injury risk alert and prevention protocols. Pitchers in high-risk groups can be prescribed specific exercise plans to improve movement imbalances.

Background: Medial ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injuries are common among baseball players. There is sparse literature on long-term results after nonoperative treatment of UCL injuries in professional baseball players. Purpose: The primary purpose was to assess long-term follow-up on reinjury rates, performance metrics, rate of return to the same level of play or higher (RTP), and ability to advance to the next level of play in professional baseball players after nonoperative treatment of incomplete UCL injuries. The secondary aim was to perform a matched-pair comparison between pitchers treated nonoperatively and a control group without a history of UCL injuries. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Twenty-eight professional baseball players (18 pitchers, 10 position players) treated nonoperatively were identified from a previous retrospective review of a single professional baseball organization between 2006 and 2011. UCL reinjury rates and player performance metrics were evaluated at long-term (minimum, 9 years) follow-up. Rates of RTP were calculated. A matched-pair comparison was made between the pitchers treated nonoperatively and pitchers without a history of UCL injuries. Results: Overall, 27 players (17 pitchers, 10 position players) were available for long-term follow-up at a mean follow-up of 12 years (SD, 2 years). The overall rate of RTP was 85% (23/27), with the rate of RTP being 82% (14/17) in pitchers and 90% (9/10) in position players. Of the 23 players who did RTP, 18 (78%) reached a higher level of play and 5 (21.7%) stayed at the same level. Of the 9 position players who did RTP, the median number of seasons played after injury was 4.5 (interquartile range, 3.3). Of the 14 pitchers who did RTP, the mean number of seasons played after injury was 5.8 (SD, 3.8). In the matched-pair analysis, no significant differences were observed in any performance metrics (P > .05). The overall reinjury rate was 11.1% (3/27), with no players requiring UCL reconstruction. Conclusion: There was a high rate of RTP for professional baseball players treated nonoperatively for incomplete UCL injuries. Compared with a matched cohort with no history of UCL injury, professional baseball pitchers treated nonoperatively had similar performance metrics. Reinjury rates were low, and no player had reinjury requiring UCL reconstruction. Nonoperative treatment of incomplete UCL injuries in professional baseball players, specifically pitchers, is a viable treatment option in the long term.

Objectives:Injury to the elbow ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) is relatively common in pitchers. In the 70's reconstructive surgery was developed as a viable option to a potentially career ending injury. Multiple studies have demonstrated return to play (RTP) rates of 74-83% after reconstruction. Studies of RTP after nonoperative treatment in throwing athletes are limited, reporting 42%. There are no studies reporting RTP rates with nonoperative treatment of professional baseball players. The purpose of this study was to identify professional baseball players' ability to return to play after UCL injuries based on nonoperative vs. operative treatment, MRI grade, and player position.Methods:A retrospective review of a single professional baseball organization (6 minor league teams and 1 Major league team) between 2006 & 2011 revealed 72 medial elbow injuries. MRI was performed on all players. UCL injuries were diagnosed in 45 players by physical exam & MRI. Players were treated with rehabilitation, surgery or both. Success was RTP for >1 season. Rates of RTP and return to the same level of play or higher (RTSP) were calculated and correlated with MRI grade, location, and player position. MRI grading used was: 1 intact ligament +/- edema, 2 partial tearing, 3 complete tear, and 4 chronic healed injury.Results:Overall 91% of 45 players had RTP, and 87% had RTSP. Fifteen were treated surgically and 30 nonoperatively with rehab. Of players treated surgically, 73% had RTSP, whereas 93% of nonoperatively treated players had RTSP (p-value 0.07). All players with grade III tears had surgery. Of surgically treated players, none had grade I injuries, 13% had grade II injuries, 53% had grade III injuries, and 33% had grade IV injuries. Of nonoperatively treated players, 13% had grade I injuries, 23% had grade II injuries, none had grade III injuries, and 60% had grade IV injuries. Of all grade II and grade IV injuries, 78% were treated nonoperatively and all but 1 player in each group (treated nonoperatively) had successful RTSP. Of the players treated for grade III tears, 50% had RTSP, whereas 92% of players treated for incomplete (grades I, II and IV) injuries had RTSP (p-value 0.01), regardless of treatment. When considering RTP rather than RTSP for complete vs. incomplete injuries, the rates improved to 75% and 95% (p-value 0.13) respectively. All grade I injuries, 86% of grade II injuries and 91% of grade IV injuries had RTSP. Of the 45 players with UCL injuries, 33 were pitchers. Among pitchers treated surgically RTP was 86% and RTSP was 71%. Nonoperatively treated pitcher’s RTP and RTSP was the same, 95%. Among the pitchers, 24% had grade III injuries whereas none of the positional players had grade III injuries. Ten of 11 positional players treated nonoperatively had RTSP. One positional player was treated operatively and had RTSP.Conclusion:Professional baseball players treated nonoperatively for UCL injuries have a much higher RTP rate than previously published among throwing athletes. Pitchers are more likely to de...