One of the best ways to prevent overuse injuries is to improve overall fitness. It's also important to focus on strengthening and flexibility throughout the year. For pitchers, that means the shoulder, elbow, and wrist. Chang says getting to know children's coaches also helps prevent injuries. Parents should also ensure that kids are using appropriate equipment and warming up adequately with stretching exercises.
Researchers say further investigation of baseball equipment is needed.
But adult-sized baseballs are used at every level of competition. And this makes proper grip technique tough for small hands. So further investigation of baseballs with a smaller diameter would be very helpful. For more information about strengthening exercise, a booklet is available from the American Sports Medicine Institute, a nonprofit organization. The body position and timing of accurate pitchers are virtually the same at all ages, from Little League to the pros.