What Is Little Leaguer’s Elbow?

When Minnesotans head to community ballparks to enjoy one of America’s favorite pastimes, Summit Orthopedics prepares to see more injured young baseball players. Medial apophysitis, or Little Leaguer’s elbow, is one of the common baseball-related injuries we treat. Youngsters who pitch are the most likely to be affected, but we also treat this injury in adolescent catchers, infielders, and outfielders.

How the elbow joint works

To understand this condition, it helps to know how our elbow joint works. Three bones meet at the elbow: the upper arm bone, or humerus, and the radius and ulna in the forearm. These bones are held together by muscles, ligaments, and tendons. The elbow joint acts as both a hinge and a pivot. The hinge function allows the arm to bend, and the pivot function allows the lower arm to twist and rotate.

Effects of repetitive throwing stress

When a ball is pitched or thrown, the throwing motion stresses the bones and soft tissues in the elbow joint. Little Leaguer’s elbow is caused by repetitive throwing stress on the inside of the elbow, which overtaxes the joint. Younger players are particularly vulnerable because their growth plates at the ends of the bones in the elbow joint are still developing. This makes the bones weaker and more easily injured than the ligaments and muscles attached to them. As an athlete matures and the growth plates fuse, the injury risk remains, but the ligaments and tendons are more likely to be damaged.

Repeated throwing stresses the joint tissues and causes them to break down. When tissue breakdown happens faster than the tissue can repair itself, young players will feel pain at the knobby bump on the inside of their elbow. If Little Leaguer’s elbow is not treated, repeated throwing can tear ligaments and tendons from the bone, sometimes fracturing bones, pulling away bone fragments, or causing deformity in the bone.

Address signs of injury early

When this injury is addressed early, before serious damage has been done, it can usually be treated without surgery. If your young baseball player experiences elbow pain, restricted range of motion at the elbow, locking of the elbow joint, or a painful popping sensation in the elbow, it is important for him or her to stop throwing immediately. Our elbow specialists at Summit are happy to evaluate your child’s elbow and develop a treatment plan designed to give the injured joint the time it needs to recover and heal. We are here to help your young player return safely to the game.

Summit Orthopedics provides personalized hand and wrist expertise

The function of our hands is integrated through our wrists and arms to our shoulders; a problem anywhere along our arm may have a significant impact on hand function and quality of life. If you experience an injury or uncomfortable symptoms, our fellowship-trained hand and wrist surgeons are here to help. Summit physicians receive the highest levels of training and exclusively provide individualized care for conditions of the hand, wrist, and elbow.

Start your journey to better function and less pain. Find your hand expert, request an appointment online, or call us at (651) 968–5201 to schedule a consultation.

Summit has convenient locations across the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area, serving Minnesota and western Wisconsin. We have state-of-the-art centers for comprehensive orthopedic care in Eagan, MN, Plymouth, MN, Vadnais Heights, MN, and Woodbury, MN, as well as additional community clinics throughout the metro and southern Minnesota.

More resources for you

• Tips to Treat Tennis Elbow
• Ask Dr. Scofield: What Is the Best Treatment for Tennis Elbow?
• Common Pickleball injuries and How to Recover
• Tips To Prevent Little Leaguer’s Elbow
• How Do You Recognize Hand and Wrist Tendinitis?

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