The epidemiology of single season musculoskeletal injuries in professional baseball

Abstract

The aim of this descriptive epidemiology study was to evaluate the injury incidence, pattern and type as a function of position in one professional baseball organization for one complete season. The study was carried out in a major academic center. Participants were all major/minor league baseball players playing for one professional organization. The disabled/injury list of one single professional baseball organization (major and minor league players) was reviewed for all of the injuries and the number of total days missed secondary to each injury. All injuries were categorized into major anatomic zones that included: shoulder, elbow, wrist/hand, back, abdomen/groin, hip, knee, and ankle/foot. The data was further stratified based on the injury type and the number of days missed due to that particular injury and a statistical analysis was performed. In pitchers, elbow injuries (n=12) resulted in 466 days missed. In catchers, wrist injuries (n=4) resulted in 89 days missed. In position players, abdominal/groin injuries (n=16) resulted in 318 days missed and shoulder injuries (n=9) resulted in 527 days missed. Overall, 134 players were injured and a total of 3209 days were missed. Pitchers had 27 times and 34 times the rate of days missed due to elbow injuries compared to position players and all players, respectively. Abdominal and groin injuries caused the pitchers to have 5.6 times and 6.4 times the rate of days missed than the position and all players, respectively. Both elbow and abdominal/groin injuries are the most disabling injury pattern seen in pitchers. Among the position players, shoulder injuries resulted in the most days missed and knee injuries resulted in the highest rate of days missed in both pitchers and catchers.

Prevalence and proposed mechanisms of chronic low back pain in baseball: part i

“…Among these, three were Level III (Dick et al, 2007; Hangai et al, 2009; Posner et al, 2011) and three were Level IV (Earhart et al, 2012; Hangai et al, 2010; Li et al, 2013) evidence.…”

“…A total of seven studies included specific LBP data in populations with baseball playing history (Dick et al, 2007; Earhart, Roberts, Roc, Gryzlo, & Hsu, 2012; Hangai et al, 2009, 2010; Ladenhauf, Fabricant, Grossman, Widmann, & Green, 2013; Li et al, 2013; Posner et al, 2011). Among these, three were Level III (Dick et al, 2007; Hangai et al, 2009; Posner et al, 2011) and three were Level IV (Earhart et al, 2012; Hangai et al, 2010; Li et al, 2013) evidence.…”

“…One retrospective study of publically available data on MLB players found that disc herniation’s occurred at a higher frequency during pitching and batting (27.6% and 38%) compared with players playing their position on the infield and in the outfield (20% and 14.4%; Earhart et al, 2012). Two additional retrospective studies gathered their data from publically available disabled lists and injury lists (Li et al, 2013; Posner et al, 2011). Posner et al found that among the injured players, 7.8% and 7.4% of the fielders and pitchers, respectively, developed spine and back injuries.…”

“…The preponderance of research relating to baseball injuries has focused on the incidence and prevention of throwing arm injuries, as these are the most prevalent injury type in baseball players of all ages and skill levels (Dick et al, 2007; Hangai et al, 2009, 2010; Li et al, 2013; Posner, Cameron, Wolf, Belmont, & Owens, 2011; Schmidt et al, 2014). However, the lumbar spine is an understudied but pivotal link to the kinematic chain where the energy transfer occurs from the lower body to upper body during throwing and hitting (Young, Herring, Press, & Casazza, 1996).…”

Injury Risk Due to Collisions in Major League Baseball

“…Admittedly, it is not clear that the rule diff erences have been eff ective in limiting injuries as injury rates for the at-risk plays before implementation are not known for these levels of competition. Though DP Attempts are not risky compared to the reference base running play, with 2.4 players injured per season and 41 days missed per injury (compared to 24.5 average days missed per injury to non-pitchers throughout one professional baseball organization [ 5 ] ) the average annual cost to teams is $1.7 million in lost production. MLB may have a fi nancial incentive to address this risk.…”