Is it OK for kids to throw curveballs?

Although co-authoring the studies by Flesig² and Dun², Dr. James Andrews (renowned orthopaedic surgeon and medical director for the Andrews Institute) recommends that youth pitchers refrain from throwing curveballs until they have mastered the fastball and change-up and are at least 14 years old⁴.

Is it bad for kids to throw curveballs?

Throwing too many curveballs or throwing curveballs improperly could lead to ligament damage, coaches and doctors said, specifically tears to the ulnar collateral ligament, the tissue in the elbow that connects the upper arm to the inside part of the lower arm.

Can little leaguers throw curveballs?

Little League did not institute a ban on curve balls, and, in light of new research suggesting that the pitch does not, contrary to conventional wisdom, put more strain on a young pitcher's elbow than other pitches (indeed, the research suggests curveballs place less stress on the elbow than a fastball), was perhaps ...

How old should you be to throw breaking ball?

Younger kids should refrain from throwing a breaking ball until 13 or 14.” Your kid will snap that curve or slider soon enough, just be sure to have him wait.

Does throwing a curve hurt your arm?

Dr. Andrews says that fatigue can set in when throwing curveballs (despite fastballs generating higher kinetic loads around the shoulder and elbow; a widely-known fact) and that this might be the mechanism of action for increased injury rates in youth pitchers. Dr.

When is it safe for a young pitcher to throw a curveball?

Is it bad for an 11 year old to throw a curveball?

So, what is the appropriate age? In regard to curveballs and sliders, I recommend a player wait until he is 13- or 14- years- old.

Do curveballs hurt kids arms?

60% of participants in their study threw curveballs. Studies that have found an association between curveballs and arm pain/injury are typically confounded. Pitchers who learn to throw curveballs, especially at younger ages, tend to be more skilled. These pitchers are often bigger athletes, who throw faster.

Can a 10 year old throw a curveball?

James Andrews (renowned orthopaedic surgeon and medical director for the Andrews Institute) recommends that youth pitchers refrain from throwing curveballs until they have mastered the fastball and change-up and are at least 14 years old⁴.

How hard should a 10 year old throw?

The average fastball velocity for pitchers 10 years old and younger is between 40-50 mph. The average change-up speed for this age group is about 10 mph slower, making the velocity between 30-40 mph.

Is it harder to hit a fastball or a curveball?

Hitting a curveball optimally is extremely difficult, and hitters are more likely to whiff at a curveball than a fastball. A hitter is more likely to contact a fastball, but curveballs have more power potential.

How hard is it to hit a curveball?

In baseball, the curveball is a monumentally difficult pitch to hit. It turns out there's a very good scientific reason why. Right when a curveball crosses the plate, the spinning of the seams tricks a hitter's brain into thinking the ball is diving at a steeper angle than it really is.

How hard is it to throw a curveball?

The curveball should be thrown – just like all pitches – as hard as the fastball. The arm-speed for all pitches should be 100% at all times, but the output speed, the final radar gun speed, is determined by how much speed is converted into spin.

Do curveballs cause Tommy John?

Throwing fastballs—not curveballs—linked to Tommy John surgery. Curveballs have been thought to wreck elbows, but new studies show it's throwing fastballs that lead to Tommy John surgery for baseball players.

What is the benefit of children throwing balls?

What pitches can a 10 year old throw?

For instance, a 10-year old would have a daily maximum of 75 pitches, with only 21-35 pitches that could be thrown with 1 day of rest. This is different than for a 17-year old who, according to these guidelines can throw a maximum of 105 pitches in a game, with 1 day of rest allowing for 31-45 pitches.

At what age do kids stop throwing things?

The best news for parents who are being driven to insanity by a toddler throwing everything in sight is that, like everything else, it's a phase. By the time they're 4 to 5 years old, the magic will have worn off.

How hard can a kid throw?

Jeb's pitch speeds are on par with a 9-year-old, who throws an average of 44 mph. How fast does a high school pitcher throw? On the average, a typical Varsity high school fastball is between 75-85 mph, although many good Varsity pitchers will be seeing the upper 80s and low 90 range.

Can a 9 year old throw a changeup?

Players at the age of 9 or 10 years old can start developing a changeup. The key is to be able to throw strikes with a two seam and four seam fastball before moving on to other pitches. Everybody wants to have a trick pitch, instead of mastering the most important pitch in baseball.

Is a slider or curveball better?

A slider is a breaking pitch that is thrown faster and generally with less overall movement than a curveball. It breaks sharply and at a greater velocity than most other breaking pitches.

What pitches are bad for your arm?

Offspeed/breaking pitches such as the curveball and slider have received so much attention and scorn in the last few years that they are part of the reason for an increase in arm injuries.

Is a slider or curveball worse for your arm?

Though the relationship between pitch type and arm pain is confounded by this, the difference between the odds ratio between curveballs and sliders is clear — youth pitchers that throw sliders seem to experience more arm pain than those that throw curveballs.