Common Overuse Injuries in Baseball & Softball (and How to Prevent Them)

Baseball and softball are explosive, high-skill sports - but they’re also repetitive. Swinging, throwing, sprinting, and fielding all place very specific, repeated stress on the same muscles, joints, and movement patterns. Over time, this can lead to overuse injuries, especially in young athletes who practice or play year-round.

The good news: most overuse injuries are preventable with smart training, proper workload management, and good mechanics. At Athletic Performance, we see the same patterns over and over—and we help athletes fix them before they become serious setbacks.

Here are the most common overuse injuries in baseball and softball, and what every athlete, coach, and parent should know.

1. Thrower’s Elbow (Medial Epicondyle Stress)

This is one of the most common issues in pitchers and position players who throw frequently. Pain develops on the inside of the elbow where the forearm tendons anchor.

Causes:

• Too many throws

• Poor throwing mechanics

• Weakness in the shoulder and upper back

• Lack of recovery days

Prevention:

• Proper warm-up

• Strengthening the posterior shoulder and scapular stabilizers

• Monitoring pitch counts

• Avoiding back-to-back high-volume throwing days

2. Rotator Cuff Strains

Repetitive throwing and swinging can overload the small stabilizing muscles of the shoulder. When these muscles fatigue, mechanics break down and stress multiplies.

Causes:

• Weak stabilizers

• Poor posterior chain strength

• Excessive throwing volume

Prevention:

• Rotator cuff strengthening

• Scap stability training

• Balanced strength programming

A strong upper back is often the difference between a healthy shoulder and an injured one.

3. Low Back Pain

Rotational sports put huge torque through the midsection and lower back. When the core, obliques, and glutes aren’t strong enough, the spine absorbs the load.

Causes:

• Weak glutes and trunk

• Over-rotating

• Excessive arching during swings or throws

Prevention:

• Anti-rotation core training

• Hip mobility work

• Proper swing and throwing technique

4. Patellar Tendon Pain (Knee Pain)

Frequent sprinting, catching, and jumping can overload the patellar tendon - especially in athletes with weak hips or tight quads.

Prevention:

• Strengthening quads, glutes, and hamstrings

• Improving landing mechanics

• Avoiding excessive high-impact training days

5. Shoulder Impingement

When the shoulder blade doesn’t move correctly, the arm bone pinches the soft tissue inside the joint during overhead movements.

Prevention:

• Scapula mobility + stability work

• Better posture

• Strengthening the mid/upper back

How Athletes Can Reduce Overuse Risk

Most overuse injuries can be prevented by:

• Strength training 2–3x per week

• Improving mechanics through coaching

• Avoiding year-round high-volume play

• Prioritizing recovery, sleep, and nutrition

• Monitoring throwing and hitting volumes

Athletes who build stronger bodies and smart training habits stay on the field longer - where development actually happens.

Want to Stay Healthy and Perform Better?

We help baseball and softball athletes get stronger, faster, and more resilient so they can play at their best all season long.