When Your Child Has Little Leaguer’s Elbow or Little Leaguer’s Shoulder

Your child has been diagnosed with little leaguer's elbow or shoulder. Little leaguer's elbow or shoulder is caused by overuse of the arm. This condition is an irritation of the growth plates in the elbow or shoulder. A growth plate is the soft part of a bone that lets the bone grow as the child grows. Little leaguer's elbow or shoulder is most common among children who play sports, especially baseball. Because a child is still growing and developing, the demands of a sport on the child's body can be too much. This is especially true if the child isn't given enough rest time between active sessions. Little leaguer's elbow or shoulder is a painful condition. But it can be treated with correct care.

Little leaguer's elbow or shoulder is caused by too much overhead movement of the arm such as pitching a baseball. Overhead movement causes the muscles in the arm to pull on the growth plates. When this movement is repeated over and over, the space in the growth plates begins to get wider. In some cases, the growth plates pull away from the bone.

• Pain or “heaviness” in the arm while throwing
• Elbow or shoulder pain, especially after throwing
• Tightness of the elbow or shoulder, causing decreased range of motion (inability to fully extend the elbow or rotate the shoulder) or weakness

The doctor will ask about your child's health history and examine your child. They will check your child's elbow or shoulder for soreness, range of motion, and pain. An X-ray and possibly an MRI scan may also be done. These tests take images of the inside of the body. They help the doctor diagnose the injury.

The doctor will talk with you about the best treatment plan for your child. As instructed, your child will:

• Rest from pitching or throwing for as long as your child's doctor recommends. The amount of time needed depends on the type and severity of the injury.
• Put ice or a cold pack on the area for 10 to 20 minutes at a time. Try to do this every 1 to 2 hours for the next 3 days (when your child is awake). Types of cold therapy include ice packs you can make and cold packs that can be reused. Put a thin cloth between the ice and your child's skin.
• Take anti-inflammatory medicine such as ibuprofen as directed.
• Learn or practice throwing methods that are less likely to cause injury.
• Decrease the amount of activity done with the elbow or shoulder. For example, if your child is a pitcher, the doctor may limit the number of pitches your child should throw.
• Do exercises as instructed by the doctor. Your child may be referred to a physical therapist for a supervised program of exercises. Your child's physical therapist or doctor may also ask your child to do exercises at home.

If your child's condition isn't cared for, they may have trouble using the elbow or shoulder in the future. Left untreated, the condition can lead to lasting (permanent) damage of the growth plates.

Little leaguer's elbow and shoulder have become more common as children's sports have become more competitive. But this painful health problem can be prevented. To help prevent it:

• Don't allow your child to throw every day. Be sure they get days off from throwing.
• Discuss your child's training and game schedule with their coach and doctor. Pitches or throws should be counted to make sure that your child is not throwing too many times in any game or practice. Talk with the coach about pitch count limits and make sure your child is not going over this limit.
• Never let your child play or practice if they are hurt or in pain.
• Limit your child’s throwing activities to no more than 8 months per year. Your child should take at least 4 months off from overhead throwing each year, including 2 to 3 consecutive months. During this time, encourage activities that do not involve repetitive throwing.