About Baseball Throwing Injuries
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David Lintner, MD
Sports Medicine Physicians & Orthopedic Surgeons located in Houston, TX
Baseball-throwing injuries, like bone spurs and forearm tightness, can affect your performance on the field and keep you sidelined. Thankfully, there are a variety of non- and minimally invasive treatments designed to relieve pain and restore your mobility. At his self-titled practice in Houston, Texas, sports medicine specialist David Lintner, MD, provides complete care for baseball-throwing injuries. Call the nearest office today to schedule an appointment or book your visit online.
Baseball Throwing Injuries Q&A
Are baseball-throwing injuries common?
Baseball-throwing injuries affect millions of baseball players at every level.
Baseball and softball feature repetitive, high-intensity throwing motions. Your arm joints, including your shoulders, elbows, and wrists, are incredibly tough, but they’re susceptible to general wear and tear and injury.
Which baseball-throwing injuries benefit from orthopedic treatment?
Dr. Lintner treats various baseball-throwing injuries, including:
- Bone spurs in the elbow
- Forearm tightness
- Stress fractures in the arms and shoulders
- Growth plate pain in the shoulder and elbow
- Rotator cuff tears
- Pulled muscles
- Sprained ligaments
- Wrist pain
Dr. Lintner treats baseball-throwing injuries using a conservative, minimally invasive approach whenever possible.
How are baseball-throwing injuries diagnosed?
Dr. Lintner reviews your medical records and asks about your symptoms, including where the pain occurs, what it feels like, and if it’s worse during certain activities, like pitching or throwing.
Dr. Lintner examines your arm, checking for redness, bruising, and swelling. He assesses your muscle strength, reflexes, and flexibility and has you complete a series of easy movements to check your arm’s range of motion.
Dr. Lintner gently presses on your shoulder, wrist, or elbow, checking for sensitive places, and has you rate your pain on a scale from one to 10. If he suspects an underlying medical condition, like a broken bone or a dislocated joint, Dr. Lintner orders diagnostic imaging, like X-rays or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
How are baseball-throwing injuries treated?
Dr. Lintner treats baseball-throwing injuries with a conservative, minimally invasive approach. He might suggest:
- Rest, ice, compression, and elevation (RICE)
- Physical therapy
- Shoulder-strengthening exercises
- Elbow-strengthening exercises
- Corticosteroid injections
- Sports massage
If your throwing injury doesn’t improve with these treatments, Dr. Lintner might recommend surgery. Dr. Lintner has more than 20 years of experience performing minimally invasive and traditional open orthopedic surgery for upper extremity and baseball-throwing injuries.
Depending on your needs, he might recommend rotator cuff repair surgery or Tommy John surgery –– a procedure that repairs the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL).
Can baseball-throwing injuries be prevented?
There’s no way to prevent baseball-throwing injuries entirely, but you can significantly reduce your risk. Dr. Lintner recommends warming up before exercise, listening to your body, and icing your arm joints after practices and games.
Call the practice of David Lintner, MD, today to schedule treatment for baseball-throwing injuries, or book your appointment online.