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 Setup01:17 Listener Question01:53 Common Non Arm Injuries02:38 Why Throwers Get Back Pain03:33 Pars Defects Explained07:49 Diagnosis Imaging and Timeline11:18 Prevention Through Ramp Up14:56 Skip Crunches Build Core16:21 Plank Bird Dog Routine21:17 Wrap Up and Next StepsWant to WATCH this episode? Click HERE!Have a question for the podcast? Go HERE to get it answered!!!