Baseball is a sure sign of spring, invigorating athletes, amateur players, fans, and little leaguers alike. The all-American game brings excitement and joy to a wide range of people, but, unfortunately, it also results in a fair number of injuries. If you have already suffered a baseball injury early in the season, you are not alone.
A great many nonprofessionals come out of a bit of winter hibernation too quickly, spurting into competitive activity and overusing muscles that haven’t been properly conditioned. If you are feeling pain after an early baseball game, contact Long Island Spine Rehabilitation Medicine for prompt diagnosis and effective treatment.
Our doctors are physiatrists who specialize in relieving pain and restoring function through nonsurgical means. Because our practice is holistic, we offer a broad spectrum of therapies, both traditional and complementary, to ease your pain and get you back in the game as quickly as possible. Our treatments include:
- Customized physical therapy, including electrical stimulation
- Corticosteroid injections to relieve pain and inflammation directly at the source
- Acupuncture to reduce inflammation and increase blood flow to the site
- Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to promote healing
- PEMF (Pulsed Electromagnetic Field) therapy to reduces pain and inflammation
Of course, before we can decide on the best treatment, we have to determine the precise nature of your injury. Fortunately, we are excellent diagnosticians. Once we determine the cause of your pain and restricted mobility, we will discuss your therapeutic options, always valuing your input into your treatment plan.
Baseball Injuries Our Doctors Treat
Baseball injuries, like other sports injuries, often occur due to repetitive motions, such as throwing, swinging, overreaching, and catching high-speed balls. They often occur early in the season when the playing field may be muddy and slippery and the players’ bodies are suddenly more active. Following are some of the most common baseball injuries we see in our practice:
Batter’s Shoulder
As a result of much overhead throwing and swinging, baseball players may suffer the labral tears of “batter’s shoulder.” The labrum is a thick piece of connective tissue found in the ball and socket joints of the shoulder and hip. In both joints, the labrum plays an important role in maintaining joint stability. A tear of the shoulder labrum can occur during the followthrough of a hard swing of the bat.
UCL Tear
UCL stands for “ulnar collateral ligament.” The UCL is the muscle tissue that helps to keep the elbow correctly positioned. It can be stretched or torn during overhead throwing. UCL tears are especially common in pitchers but also occur in other baseball players. While a UCL tear often occurs due to gradual wear and tear, it may occur as a traumatic injury in which case a pop may be heard at the moment of impact. In most cases, this ligament injury can be healed without surgery.
Catcher’s Thumb
Catcher’s thumb happens when the hand is incorrectly positioned to catch the ball with the thumb overextended. This allows the thumb to suffer greater impact as the ball is caught. At times, this injury is hard to avoid, for example when the catcher is going after a wild pitch. Using a catcher’s mitt with special padding or wearing gloves within the mitt can sometimes protect catchers from this injury.
Hamstring Strain
Hamstring strains are partial tears in the muscles and tendons at the back of the thigh. These injuries typically occur as a result of running bases or sprinting to catch a ball in the field. Exercising to stretch and strengthen the quadriceps (the muscles at the front of the thigh), as well as the hamstrings themselves, can help to prevent these injuries.
Contact Our Experienced Doctors Today for Treatment of Your Baseball Injuries
Though baseball injuries are never entirely avoidable, for those who love the sport, the game is worth the price of occasional discomfort. Nonetheless, no one wants to suffer pain any longer than they have to. Contact us for accurate diagnosis, effective treatment, and compassionate care.