What Is Little League Shoulder or Elbow?
Little League Shoulder and Little League Elbow are overuse injuries caused by repetitive throwing. They occur when the growth plates in a young athlete’s arm become irritated from too much stress, too soon, or without enough recovery. These injuries are preventable with smart workload management, early communication, and proper throwing habits.
How Parents Can Support Healthy Arm Care
1. Focus on Long‑Term Athlete Development
As each season begins, revisit your athlete’s goals. Help them think beyond the next tournament or tryout and toward long‑term health, confidence, and enjoyment of the game.
2. Learn the Basics of Arm Care
Understanding the fundamentals goes a long way:
- Common injury risks
- Age‑appropriate armcare exercises and recommendations
- Throwers 10 Video (Good exercises for general strength training)
- Learn the phases of pitching and build your knowledge base
The more you know, the better you can support your athlete’s decisions and habits.
3. “Read the Season”
Not every phase of the year should include the same amount of throwing.
Seasonal awareness prevents overuse before it starts. Parents can help by recognizing:
- When to add throwing progressions to help build throwing endurance
- When to hold back – has there been a lot of baseball games stacked up as of late?
- When rest is the most valuable tool
4. Encourage Open Communication About Arm Pain
Create a culture where your athlete feels safe saying, “My arm doesn’t feel right.”
Healthy communication should include:
- You
- Your athlete
- Coaches
Pain should never be ignored or hidden. Addressing it early keeps athletes on the field longer.
5. Avoiding the Problem Doesn’t Create More Baseball
Ignoring discomfort or pushing through pain doesn’t lead to more playing time—it leads to less. Early action protects your athlete’s ability to play the sport they love.
6. Accessing Medical Support
If something feels off, early evaluation is key. Get quick access to OAW sports‑medicine professionals and get your management plan solidified.
Your athlete can take advantage of OAW’s Free Injury Assessment, where one of our lead baseball providers will assist with injury management and personalized recommendations.
7. OAW Overhead Athlete Management Team – Additional information
- MD Resource: Orthopedic Associates of Wisconsin
- Rehab Overhead Athlete Lead: Josh Howard, PT, DPT, CPS, CSCS – Click For Full Bio
