There are intrinsic and extrinsic risk factors for injury. Intrinsic factors are a child’s individual musculoskeletal issues, which can include skeletal immaturity (bones and joints that are still developing) or muscle weakness. Extrinsic factors are based on the environment in which an athlete performs. This can include the various levels of competition: how much, how hard and how long play lasts.
Other common risk factors for baseball injuries include:
- For high school athletes, injuries are more likely to occur during practice than during an actual game
- A high school pitcher is at a greater risk for injuring the shoulder (34%) rather than the elbow (19%) though both structures are susceptible to injury
- Catchers (25%) and outfielders (25%) are also at risk for a shoulder injury
- Only 9% of all baseball injuries require surgery to heal properly
