Common Softball Injuries
Softball is enjoyed by millions of children annually in leagues across the United States. It is also played by millions of adults in leagues and back yard picnics during the warm months of spring, summer and fall.
Similar to baseball, softball is a sport dominated by the shoulder, elbow, forearm, and wrists. As a result of the nature of sport, injuries to these areas are generally defined as either cumulative (overuse) or acute (traumatic) injuries. Many of these occur in people who don’t play on a regular basis and “overdo it.”
Other injuries can include pulled muscles, lower extremity sprains and strains, and contusions from sliding or getting hit with the ball. Protective helmets and proper preparation before playing are useful in preventing many of the injuries associated with softball.
Shoulder
- Rotator Cuff Tendinitis, Shoulder Bursitis, Impingement Syndrome
Elbow
- Lateral Epicondylitis (Tennis Elbow)
- Ulnar Collateral Ligament Tears
- Synovial Impingement Syndrome (SIPL)
- Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD, Little Leaguer’s Elbow)
Wrist
- Triangular Fibrocartilage Complex (TFCC) Tears
- Scaphoid Fracture