How to avoid pitcher's elbow or Medial Epicondylitis

Prolonged repetitive throwing motions such as those familiar to baseball pitchers are a risk for developing repetitive strain injuries to the muscles, ligaments, and tendons supporting the inside of the elbow. These injuries are also common in athletes participating in overhead activities like tennis, badminton, and javelin throwing. The main symptom of this so-called "pitcher's elbow" is a gradual onset of pain on the inside of the elbow that may travel down the inside of the forearm. Such high-velocity throwing motions place a lot of strain on the structures on the inside of the elbow, leading to microtears and possibly to the development of a repetitive strain injury. Ongoing sport participation without proper treatment may lead to an increase in the severity of the elbow pain, elbow swelling, and eventually decreased performance, like a slower fastball or a compromised tennis serve. This injury is known as medial epicondylitis.

Prolonged injury without treatment may lead to an inability to compete. Understanding which muscles, tendons, and ligaments are contracting, being pre-stretched, or are stabilizing the elbow joint in each of the five phases will help in developing a proper treatment and prevention program for medial epicondylitis.

Here's a link to a great article on pitcher's elbow published by Dubin Chiropractic in Quincy, Mass.