More and more children are concentrating on just one sport at an early age. Some kids, for instance, only play tennis. Like baseball, tennis puts extra stress on the shoulders and elbows. The best prevention is to limit the number of innings a child pitches. Little League Baseball has been very proactive and instituted strict guidelines that all coaches must follow.
Pitchers are limited to a maximum of six innings per week.
Parents also need to be very careful that they are not putting too much pressure on their children. More and more these days, you see parents reliving their youth through their kids. Parents need to step back and remember that it's just a game and it's all in fun. Another must for Little Leaguers is a pre-season conditioning program that strengthens the rotator cuff. Avoid competitive weightlifting.