063: Most Common Baseball & Softball Injuries Beyond the Arm: Low Back Pain, Pars Defects, and Core Training

In this Athletic Potential Podcast episode, a physical therapist answers a listener’s question about the most common baseball and softball injuries outside the shoulder and elbow, explaining that low back pain is a major issue (with hamstrings also common in baseball) and highlighting adolescent pars stress fractures caused by repetitive high-speed lumbar extension and rotation. The episode reviews basic lumbar motion limits to show why the low back is poorly suited for rotation, describes typical symptom progression, notes that imaging can help determine status, and outlines common management including activity restriction for roughly 2–5 months, with many returning to play (about 80%) though overall return may take 6–8 months. Prevention focuses on adequate seasonal downtime, a gradual ramp-up of volume and intensity, improved mechanics, and core control using planks, side planks, and bird dogs/dead bugs rather than crunches or sit-ups.

00:00 Welcome and Setup

01:17 Listener Question

01:53 Common Non Arm Injuries

02:38 Why Throwers Get Back Pain

03:33 Pars Defects Explained

07:49 Diagnosis Imaging and Timeline

11:18 Prevention Through Ramp Up

14:56 Skip Crunches Build Core

16:21 Plank Bird Dog Routine

21:17 Wrap Up and Next Steps

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