GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A University of Florida College of Medicine researcher is calling for changes in youth baseball to prevent pitching injuries.
A recently published paper by the director of UF’s throwing clinic said that pitching overuse injuries among young players continue to rise, possibly in part due to the popularity of ‘weighted ball velocity programs’.
“It’s tough because these programs work. If you look at all the data, almost every single study shows that if you go through one of these weighted ball programs for six weeks or eight weeks your velocity will increase in a short amount of time. The problem with that, particularly with someone who is still growing, has open growth plates in their arm, is that your arm may not be able to withstand the amount of velocity and stress that goes in your arm by throwing that hard,” said Dr. Jason Zaremski, the lead author of the paper.
Along with other recommendations, Zaremski said that weighted ball throwing programs should be avoided in pre-adolescent and adolescent athletes.
DO YOU HAVE A VITAMIN D DEFICIENCY?
Some health experts are recommending testing for vitamin d deficiency for those at higher risk for low levels including infants and those over age 65.
Along with memory impairment, having a vitamin d deficiency could increase the risk of developing bone issues such as osteoporosis.
Experts say people should consult with their primary care provider to see if they need supplementation.