MLB Study on Pitching Injuries

SPORTS

By: Lusia Pio

12/18/20241 min read

A new MLB study has identified chasing higher velocity and better "stuff" as key factors contributing to the rise in pitching injuries.

The yearlong study, involving over 200 industry experts, found that pitchers exerting maximum effort more often, both in-game and during training, leads to increased arm ailments.

Key contributing factors include the focus on velocity and pitch movement, modern workload management strategies that may inadvertently increase injury risk, and a shift from endurance to power-focused training.

Additionally, a pitcher's injury history can predict future injuries, and the trend of chasing velocity starts at a young age, contributing to youth injuries.

The study suggests that encouraging pitchers to moderate their activity and throw at sub-maximum effort could improve health and durability, recommending further research and potential rule changes to address these issues.