Baseball is the great American sport, enjoyed by players of many ages. But, as with any sport, there is always a risk of injury. In this post, we are going to take a look at the different spine conditions and injuries that baseball players can sustain – from the little leagues to the major leagues.

Baseball Injuries to the Spine

The sport of baseball requires frequent use of the spine. Swinging a bat involves a lot of twisting, grabbing a grounder with your glove requires bending, and throwing the ball uses a combination of these motions. Injuries to the spinal cord can severely inhibit a player’s ability to perform these essential game functions. Similarly, these motions can themselves lead to spine conditions and injuries. Here are a couple of the more common spine injuries that baseball players suffer from:

• Herniated Discs.
• Nerve Injuries.
• Bone Spurs.

These conditions and injuries can result at any level of baseball, and with players of any age. Spinal conditions can develop over time with the repetitive swinging motions that baseball requires. They can also result from acute injuries, such as getting hit in the back with a ball.

How to Treat these Conditions

Although spine injuries can be devastating to a baseball player, there is always hope for recovery. Many professional ball players have sustained serious spinal injuries and made it back to peak levels of play. Treatment of spine injuries depends on the specific injury sustained and the person’s circumstances. Conservative treatments are typically the first course of action, with spine surgery being saved as a last resort if these treatments fail to allow the player to get back on the field. If you have sustained a spine injury while playing baseball, talk to a spine specialist right away to diagnose your injuries and plot a course for treatment.

Check out our previous sports injury posts: football, hockey, basketball.

Comments are closed.