Epidemiology of Shoulder and Elbow Injuries in Iranian Baseball Premier League

Background: Baseball is a team sport that has a total of nine main players and includes explosive, endurance, and strength movements that can cause multiple injuries over a season due to repetitive movements, long training, and competition. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the epidemiology of shoulder and elbow injuries in Iranian Premier League baseball players. Methods: 79 players participate in the Iranian Baseball Premier League, of whom 23 players had shoulder and elbow injuries with a mean age of 26.13±5.89 years and an average experience of 7.93±5.99 years playing baseball during three years. They were assessed during the three seasons of 2019 using a modified injury report form. Results: The results showed the highest number of injuries among the various posts; the pitcher (43.5%) and the players with 1-5 years of experience (47.8%) showed more injuries than more experienced players (more than 5 years). Injuries in training were more than competitions (60.86%). The shoulder injury was more during the training (78.6%) and competition (55.6%) than the elbow area. Strain, rupture, and muscle contusion were the most common types of injury among players with a prevalence of 52.2%. The most common types of injuries were non-contact (78.3%) and overuse (69.9%). Fatigue was one of the most important causes of injury during training (42.9%) and competitions (55.6%). Conclusion: according to the obtained results, coaches can develop strategies to prevent and reduce injuries in this sport.