What Do We Know About Youth Softball Pitching and Injury?

Abstract

Participation rates in fastpitch softball are continually on the rise, especially in youth. With the increased participation also comes the increased injury susceptibility. Unfortunately, the common misconception about the dynamic 360° windmill softball pitch, that it is a natural motion and thus does not cause stress on the shoulder, deterred investigation into pitching mechanics until recently. As pitching injuries in softball are on the rise, more attention is needed into the mechanics of the windmill softball pitch and injury implications. Therefore, it was the purpose of this current opinion paper to shed light on what is known about youth softball pitching and injury susceptibility.