The purpose of Smith et al. (2015). Prospective Player-Reported Injuries in Female Youth Fast-Pitch Softball Players was to track and describe injuries in youth fast-pitch softball players over the course of a competitive season. A total of 98 female athletes (ages 9–18) were followed during one select-level softball season. Players included both pitchers (48) and position players (50). Every three weeks, athletes completed an online survey reporting their participation and any injuries they experienced. An injury was defined as pain that caused the athlete to stop playing in a game or practice or miss participation the next day. The researchers categorized injuries by whether they were related to pitching or not, the body part injured, when the injury occurred (early, middle, or late season), and how much time was missed. Statistical tests were used to compare injury rates and patterns between groups.
They found:
Overall Injury Rates
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49 total injuries in 98 athletes
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43 athletes (≈40%) were injured during the season
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Injured athletes were slightly older (14 vs 13 years, p < 0.02)
Pitching vs Non-Pitching Injuries
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31 injuries (63%) were NOT related to pitching
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18 injuries (37%) were pitching-related
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Non-pitching injuries were significantly more common (p < 0.02)
Non-Pitching Injury Breakdown
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70% were lower extremity injuries (legs, hips, ankles)
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Most common causes:
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Fielding (45%)
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Base running (21%)
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Hitting (18%)
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75% resulted in <2 weeks missed time
👉 Lower-body injuries = most frequent but less severe
Pitching Injury Breakdown
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38% of pitchers experienced a pitching injury
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61% of pitching injuries involved the shoulder
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Other injuries included:
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Knee, back, wrist, hip, and ulna
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👉 Shoulder = most common pitching injury
Timing of Injuries (VERY IMPORTANT)
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78% of pitching injuries occurred in the first 6 weeks
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No pitching injuries occurred in the final 6 weeks of the season
👉 Early season = highest risk window
Severity of Injuries
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50% of pitching injuries caused ≥2 weeks missed time
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Some were severe:
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4 season-ending injuries
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Several injuries >6 weeks
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Pitching injuries were:
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More likely to last longer
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More likely to affect the upper extremity
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Workload Insights
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Median:
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2 games pitched per week
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4 games played per week
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5 days/week participation
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Implications: This study showed that youth softball players have a relatively high injury rate, with about 40% of athletes experiencing an injury during a single season. While most injuries were not related to pitching and involved the lower body, pitching injuries were more serious and more likely to involve the shoulder. One of the most important findings is that most pitching injuries occurred early in the season, suggesting that a sudden increase in activity—rather than fatigue later in the season—is a major risk factor. This indicates that poor preseason preparation or conditioning may lead to injury when athletes quickly transition into high-intensity competition. The study also challenges the idea that windmill pitching is safe, showing that it can still lead to significant upper-body injuries similar to overhand throwing. The authors recommend better offseason and preseason conditioning, along with improved monitoring of workload, to help reduce injury risk. They also note limitations such as self-reported injuries and incomplete workload data, but overall the study provides important insight into when and how injuries occur in youth softball.
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