Child Orthopedics

Frequently Asked Questions

What is "Little League elbow?" I hear this term used by the coaches at ball practice.

It's a term used to describe injury to the inside of the elbow. It happens so often in pre-teens and young teens from pitching the name has caught on. When the pitcher throws the ball, the elbow is in a position called valgus. This means the angle of the elbow puts the force on the inside edge of the elbow.

Sports experts think a breaking pitch requires more force and twist on the wrist compared with the standard straight pitch. The force through the wrist travels to the elbow causing this problem.

David Wei Hang, et al. A Clinical and Roentgenographic Study of Little League Elbow. In The American Journal of Sports Medicine. January/February 2004. Vol. 32. No. 1. Pp. 79-84.

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