Purpose: Baseball is a team sport that has a total of nine main players and includes explosive, endurance, and strength movements that can cause multiple injuries over a season due to repetitive movements, long training, and competition. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the epidemiology of shoulder and elbow injuries in Iranian Premier League baseball players.
Methods: 79 players participate in the Iranian Baseball Premier League, of whom 23 players had shoulder and elbow injuries with a mean age of 26.13±5.89 years and an average experience of 7.93±5.99 years playing baseball during three years. They were assessed during the three seasons of 2019 using a modified injury report form.
Results: The results showed the highest number of injuries among the various posts; the pitcher (43.5%) and the players with 1-5 years of experience (47.8%) showed more injuries than more experienced players (more than 5 years). Injuries in training were more than competitions (60.86%). The shoulder injury was more during the training (78.6%) and competition (55.6%) than the elbow area. Strain, rupture, and muscle contusion were the most common types of injury among players with a prevalence of 52.2%. The most common types of injuries were non-contact (78.3%) and overuse (69.9%). Fatigue was one of the most important causes of injury during training (42.9%) and competitions (55.6%).
Conclusion: According to the results, coaches can develop strategies to prevent and reduce injuries in this sport.
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●Less experienced players were exposed more shoulder and elbow injuries than experienced players.
● Pitcher players were found with more injuries than other players in training and competitions.
● The prevalence of injuries was generally greater during training than in competitions, and at both times, the shoulder was more injured than the elbow.
● Muscle injuries, including strains and contusion, account for about half of all injuries.
● The mechanism of most injuries is overuse and they are also often non-contact.
Plain Language Summary
Coaches and players use epidemiological information to become aware of the prevalence of injury in their sports and reduce it through exercise or preventive measures. In this study, we used an injury report form to determine the prevalence, type, mechanism, and causes of injury in Iranian baseball players during 2019 season. The results showed that players in the pitcher position who had the most throws during each competition and training suffered more injuries than other players. The overall prevalence of injuries during training was more than in competitions. At both times, the injury to the shoulder was more prevalent than the elbow. Muscle injuries, including strains and contusion, account for about half of all injuries. The mechanism of the most of injuries was overuse which was also often non-contact. Therefore, it is recommended that trainers develop exercises to strengthen the muscles and muscle chain involved; also, they should consider a proper recovery and rest period to prevent common injuries.
Type of Study:
Research |
Subject:
General Received: 2020/01/18 | Accepted: 2020/06/10 | Published: 2020/07/9