Department of Orthopaedics, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
Department of Orthopaedics, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.; Department of Pediatrics, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.
Orthop J Sports Med. 2016 Feb 1;4(2):2325967115627126. doi: 10.1177/2325967115627126. eCollection 2016 Feb.
Ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injury has become increasingly common in Major League Baseball (MLB) players in recent years.
There is a significant difference in preinjury fastball velocity between MLB pitchers with tears and matched controls without UCL injury. Pitchers with injuries are throwing harder and getting injured earlier in their MLB careers.
Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.
From 2007 to 2014, a total of 170 documented UCL injuries (156 pitchers, 14 position players) occurred in MLB. Inclusion criteria for this study consisted of any player who tore his UCL in MLB during this time frame. There were 130 regular-season tears (April-September). From this group, 118 players who pitched more than 100 innings prior to tear were matched to subjects with no tear and were compared using a logistic regression analysis. A subgroup of "early tear" players who threw less than 100 career innings (n = 37) was also identified and compared with the larger tear group using a logistic regression analysis.
Of the 130 tears that occurred during the regular season, a significantly larger number (62%) occurred in the first 3 months (P = .011). The rate of UCL tears per MLB player (P = .001) was statistically significant. In the group of 118 matched tears, the mean fastball velocity was greater in the tear group (91.7 mph) compared with the control group (91.0 mph; P = .014). Furthermore, relief pitchers made up a greater percentage of the early tear group (<100 innings) compared with the later tear group (P = .011). Sixteen of the 170 UCL tears (9.4%) were recurrent tears, with 5 of 16 experiencing both tear and retear within the past 4 years.
There is a statistically significant difference in the mean fastball velocity of pitchers who injure their UCL. Small increases in pitcher fastball velocity are a main contribution to the increased rate of tear in MLB. In addition, there has been an increased incidence of injury in the first 3 months of the season. Finally, early tears are more likely to occur in relief pitchers than starters.
近年来，美国职棒大联盟（MLB）球员的 UCL 损伤越来越常见。
与未受伤的 UCL 相比，撕裂的 MLB 投手中，受伤前的快球速度有显著差异。受伤的投手投得更用力，在 MLB 生涯中更早受伤。
队列研究；证据水平，3。
2007 年至 2014 年，MLB 共发生 170 例 UCL 损伤（156 名投手，14 名外场手）。本研究的纳入标准包括在此期间撕裂 UCL 的任何 MLB 球员。有 130 例常规赛撕裂（4 月至 9 月）。在这一组中，有 118 名在撕裂前投球超过 100 局的球员与无撕裂的球员进行了匹配，并使用逻辑回归分析进行了比较。还确定了一个“早期撕裂”球员的亚组（投掷少于 100 局职业生涯）（n = 37），并使用逻辑回归分析与较大的撕裂组进行了比较。
在 130 例常规赛撕裂中，有 62%（P =.011）发生在前 3 个月。每 MLB 球员 UCL 撕裂率（P =.001）有统计学意义。在 118 例匹配撕裂中，撕裂组的平均快球速度（91.7 英里/小时）大于对照组（91.0 英里/小时；P =.014）。此外，与后期撕裂组相比，早期撕裂组（<100 局）的救援投手比例更高（P =.011）。在 170 例 UCL 撕裂中，有 16 例（9.4%）为复发性撕裂，其中 5 例在过去 4 年内经历了撕裂和再撕裂。
受伤 UCL 的投手的平均快球速度存在统计学显著差异。投手快球速度的微小增加是 MLB 撕裂率增加的主要原因。此外，赛季前 3 个月的受伤发生率增加。最后，早期撕裂更可能发生在救援投手而不是首发投手。
