SUNDAY, April 21, 2013 (HealthDay News) -- The start of baseball season is a good time for parents and coaches to talk to young pitchers about how to prevent overuse injuries, an expert suggests.
Bones, muscles and connective tissues are not fully developed in most children up to age 16, so too much pitching can lead to injury, explained Dr. Michael Freehill, an assistant professor of orthopedics at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.
"Parents may find it difficult to put limits on any activity that a child is good at and enjoys performing," he said in a medical center news release. "But when it comes to pitching, the surest way to ruin a young athlete's chances of success is to allow him or her to overdo it."
Freehill offered some guidelines to help prevent problems:
"Following these guidelines may force a young pitcher to sit out a few innings or miss a few pitching opportunities during the season," Freehill said. "However, that's a small price to pay for keeping our kids healthy and giving them their best shot at success over the long run."
More information
The Nemours Foundation offers baseball safety tips for youngsters.