It’s quite a paradox, isn’t it? Despite the advancements in sports medicine, elbow injuries remain a persistent issue in baseball, especially among pitchers. The repetitive stress and strain on the elbow from throwing motions, coupled with the high velocity and frequency of pitches, can lead to various injuries, particularly to the ulnar collateral
ligament (UCL).
What are the main causes of Baseball Injuries?
While teams have access to top medical expertise and cutting-edge technology, the complexities of the human body and the extreme demands of the sport present ongoing challenges. Some factors contributing to this ongoing problem might include:
Injury Incidence Among Pitchers
The elbow demonstrated the highest injury incidence among pitchers during the 2020 season, representing anincrease of 3.5 times the rate of the previous five seasons. Elbow injuries often lead to significant disabilityamong MLB pitchers, leading to highest number of days on the MLB Injury List. 27
Pain Management Options?
Medications: Depending on the type of pain, a provider may recommend prescription or over-the-counter medications to relieve discomfort. You may need antibiotics to treat an infection, muscle relaxers for spasms or anti-inflammatory drugs to relieve swelling. However, some of opioids can be habit forming and can hinder an athletes performance
in the long run.
Hands-on treatments: Many people find pain relief from physical therapy, massage, acupuncture, osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) and chiropractic adjustments. During these hands-on treatments. They are meant to reduce pain, improve alignment and help your body work better but as an athlete this is just a temporary aleve to pain so this solution is not the best option.
Electrical stimulations: Another recommendation is transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) or radiofrequency ablation to relieve nerve pain. In this category falls the Electro-Equiscope which uses Biofeedback technology and detects areas of the body where electrical resistance (impedance) is highest – which is a sign of inflammation and damage. Simultaneously sends targeted microcurrents to these cells to restore their electrical charges to normal. This can help to reduce inflammation, alleviate pain and ultimately help your body to heal itself more effectively!
Equiscope Therapy on a Baseball Player’s Elbow Injury
After being drafted straight out of high school, this 18-year-old male pitcher was suffering from severe right elbow pain. Over the course of five years, the persisting discomfort, particularly within the rigors of such a demanding sport, posed a significant challenge. He went through multiple MRIs but there were no conditions found. After undergoing different pain management options, he decided to try Electro-Equiscope Therapy. After 3 sessions with local and direct, Y-Probe and Sealing protocols, the results were excellent. The male pitcher experienced zero pain pitching at 100 percent and low 90’s speed.
At Intellbio, we love hearing from our technicians and clients about how the Electro-Equiscope has changed lives. If you’d like more information about Equiscope therapy, call us today and let’s talk.