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Home Recovery

Rest and ice is often the most effective way to treat Little League elbow. Some physicians may choose to splint the elbow, but that is uncommon. Ice treatment, for 15-20 minutes at a time three or four times a day, will help reduce inflammation. There are two important elements to treating Little League elbow. One, the player needs to understand why the problem exists so that he can avoid a recurrence. Two, he needs to maintain range of motion in the elbow, but without throwing, so that the joint does not stiffen. Anti-inflammatory medication will help make the elbow feel better but doesn't speed up the healing process. The typical recovery time is about six weeks for minor problems to as long as three months for the more significant problems. It is difficult to determine when a players can start pitching again. If a young athlete has a growth plate separation or it looks like there is some damage, doctors will rely on the normal healing process, which is going to be a minimum of four to six weeks. This is based on clinical findings such as tenderness, the integrity of the ligaments, and muscular strength. When those indicators improve, the player may begin a program in which they begin throwing again. This usually starts with a short-toss, long-toss program to allow the player to gradually rebuild arm strength. Eventually, pitchers progress to throwing from a mound, but until they complete all these steps, they should not be permitted to resume competitive pitching.

It is difficult to determine when a player with Little League elbow can start pitching again. If a young athlete has a growth plate separation or it looks like there is some damage, doctors will rely on the normal healing process, which is going to be a minimum of four to six weeks. This is based on clinical findings such as tenderness, the integrity of the ligaments, and muscular strength. Rehabilitation generally starts with a strengthening program as soon as two weeks after the injury has been diagnosed. This benefits your elbow, shoulder, forearm, and hand. Many times the exercises can be done at home after a couple of explanations, but you usually will benefit from going to a physical therapist. If you have complicated problems such as loss of movement or ligament stiffness, rehabilitation may require more extensive physical therapy. When conditions in the elbow improve, the player may begin a program in which they begin throwing again. This usually starts with a short-toss, long-toss program to allow the player to gradually rebuild arm strength. Eventually, pitchers progress to throwing from a mound, but until they complete all these steps, they should not be permitted to resume competitive pitching.

For a pitcher, prevention is the only way to keep a young arm healthy. The number one concern is to not overload the arm by having him throw too much. In Little League, there is usually one pitcher who has the best arm on the team, and the tendency is for the coach to put him out there every chance he can. Doctors recommend limiting young pitchers to no more than seven innings of competitive pitching in a week. Doctors also give young athletes pitch counts — adolescent pitchers should not throw more than 80 to 100 pitches per week. If a youngster starts a game and has a couple of rough innings and gets up to 80 or 100 pitches in five innings, well, now the seven-inning stipulation is obsolete. Moreover, doctors ask pitchers not to throw competitively in additional games. Pitchers can play at another position. They should also have an exercise routine to keep their arm strength up and build endurance. The number two concern is that throwing curve balls and sliders puts a tremendous load on the elbow. Doctors try to keep youngsters throwing just fastballs and change-ups before they get into high school. Physicians also emphasize good form. The worse a pitcher’s mechanics are, the more likely he is to have an injury. When young athletes start a sport, they are not efficient with their movements, and there is a big learning curve involved in throwing efficiently. Until pitchers learn the mechanics and build up their arm strength and endurance, there is a higher incidence of injury. If Little League elbow is caught at the early stages, it is invariably a self-limited problem. Some kids and coaches drive their bodies harder than others. If the coach is telling the kid, "You're supposed to have elbow pain; it's normal," then he is liable to get himself hurt before he realizes he is in trouble. If a youngster really has an interest in trying for a college scholarship and a major league career, he has to keep in mind that he cannot go from playing weekend baseball to practicing every day with two teams without risking injury. Parents definitely have a major role in prevention. Some parents push too hard. If they see some talent in their child, sometimes the dad will try to teach him a curve ball and have him throwing too much at home.