More than 15 million people will be playing baseball and softball this spring and summer, nearly 5.7 million of which are children in eighth grade or lower. Dr. Michael Saper, an orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist at Seattle Children’s, has some useful information about how young players can avoid arm injuries.

Before joining Seattle Children’s, Saper trained under Dr. James Andrews, a renowned orthopedic surgeon who has treated many professional athletes, including hall of fame pitchers Nolan Ryan and John Smoltz. It was in working with Andrews that Saper developed his passion and expertise for the treatment and prevention of throwing elbow and shoulder issues.

Saper noticed injuries that were common in high–level athletes occurring in younger athletes and realized that education about how to stay healthy is just as important as treating the patient after a serious arm injury occurs.

A study in the American Journal of Sports Medicine found that younger fatigued pitchers are 36 times more likely to suffer an injury than those without arm fatigue.

Saper suggests several tips to prevent such injuries:

• Young pitchers should not also play catcher due to the volume of throwing at each position.
• Rest is key. If the arm is feeling tired, pay attention to the signs and reduce throwing.
• Warm–up adequately before pitching at game speeds.
• Vary the sports that a child is involved in to give the arm time to rest throughout the year.
• Kids should only play in one league at a time to avoid overuse and fatigue.
• Wait on throwing pitches other than fastballs and changeups until the child reaches skeletal maturity.
• Follow pitch count limitations and rest requirements in between outings.
• According to the official little league website, the recommended maximum pitch counts by age are as follows: 1)13–16: 95 pitches per day 2)11–12 : 85 pitches per day 3)9–10: 75 pitches per day 4)8 and younger: 50 pitches per day