Elbow injuries in baseball
5/26/2026 by Chase Habben, M.D.
As summer approaches, many young baseball players will have started preparing for the upcoming season. For players looking to compete at the highest level, throwing harder and faster has become a priority. However, as speed has increased, so have the number of elbow injuries for young athletes. It's important for the parents of these athletes to know what to look for and how to prevent injury in the first place.
Types of injuries
Little League elbow is an overuse injury caused by repeated stress to the growth plate of the elbow. The growth plate is weaker than the surrounding parts of the elbow, making it more prone to injury in school-age children. The most common symptoms include pain and swelling on the inner part of the elbow. If not addressed, the growth plate can develop small fractures and the joint itself can develop arthritis.
Once the growth plate has fused, it is less likely to be injured compared to surrounding ligaments and tendons. The most common of these structures to be injured due to overuse is the ulnar collateral ligament, or UCL. Almost exclusive to pitchers, a UCL tear is distinguished from Little League elbow in that it often occurs in older children or teenagers. It may present as an acute “pop” sensation, and throwing will be much more difficult. Treatment and long-term recovery are essential if the athlete wishes to continue pitching.
Treatment
Treating Little League elbow involves resting the elbow until pain has improved, along with anti-inflammatory medicines, like ibuprofen or naproxen, and icing as needed for pain. Physical therapy may be necessary, along with strengthening exercises, to improve joint stability. Players may be able to return to play sooner than returning to pitching, but they should be pain free before doing so.
A UCL tear often requires surgery if it is a complete tear and almost always has a long recovery, regardless of the degree of the tear. Recovery for a partial tear is often three to four months, while a complete tear may require a year or longer. Strong physical therapy and a phased return-to-play program are main parts of treatment.
Prevention
Keeping the arms of young baseball players healthy involves many factors and requires commitment from players, parents and coaches. Research shows that multiple sport athletes that have dedicated periods playing other sports that don’t require overhand throwing are less likely to suffer from elbow injuries. Pitch counts are important as well. Specific guidelines can be found at Safety Spotlight: Protecting Your Children’s Arms.
Perhaps, most importantly, young athletes need to focus on proper mechanics versus throwing hard. Learning how to properly throw a fastball with good control should come before working on speed or secondary pitches, like curveballs or sliders. Use of weighted balls to strengthen the arm is frowned upon in favor of traditional weightlifting programs. Lastly, children may often minimize symptoms to continue playing. Parents should be on the watch for symptoms, advocate for coaches to move their children to other positions or keep them from play to avoid further injury.
Chase Habben, M.D. is a third-year pediatric resident in Community Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine at Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minnesota, and lifelong player and fan of baseball. Following residency, he will start a fellowship in hematology/oncology at Mayo Clinic.