@article{ref1,
title="Sport specialization and increased injury frequency in youth baseball players: a prospective study",
journal="Journal of athletic training",
year="2019",
author="Arnold, Amanda J. and Thigpen, Charles A. and Beattie, Paul F. and Kissenberth, Michael J. and Tokish, John M. and Shanley, Ellen",
volume="54",
number="10",
pages="1115-1122",
abstract="CONTEXT: Sport specialization is thought to be a primary contributor to the throwing-related injury risk in youth baseball players. <br><br>OBJECTIVE: To (1) establish arm-injury incidence in a cohort of male youth (9-12 years old) baseball players and (2) examine sport specialization and the frequency of arm injuries in the same cohort. <br><br>DESIGN: Cohort study. SETTING: Greenville, South Carolina, youth baseball programs and tournaments. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS: A total of 159 asymptomatic youth baseball players (age = 11.1 ± 1.1 years) were physically assessed and then were prospectively followed for 6.7 ± 1.5 months. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Athlete demographics and playing and injury histories were initially recorded. Athlete-exposures and presence of arm injury were prospectively tracked. All injuries were physically confirmed by a licensed physical therapist. <br><br>RESULTS: Youth players demonstrated an arm-injury incidence rate of 2.22 per 1000 athlete-exposures. Parents and players underestimated sport-specialization status based on the standard research definition (self versus research based: 31% versus 83%, respectively; <i>P</i> =.001). The frequency of arm injuries was higher in specialized players (100%) than in nonspecialized players (80%, <i>P</i> =.03) but did not differ between pitchers and position players (13.2% each, <i>P</i> = 1.00). <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Sport specialization was associated with throwing-related arm injuries in a small cohort of youth baseball players. It is concerning that 57.9% of parents and specialized players were unaware of the athletes' status. Larger studies with longer follow-up periods are needed to further evaluate injury-risk profiles in physically developing youth populations.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1062-6050",
doi="10.4085/1062-6050-349-18",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.4085/1062-6050-349-18"
}