Overuse injuries of the upper extremity in baseball.

The shoulder and elbow are prone to many overuse injuries in baseball. Injury to the muscles or ligaments leads to pain and loss of effectiveness in competition. Although many of these disorders respond to conservative management, surgery is sometimes necessary to provide pain relief and restore function. Unfortunately, overuse injuries that require surgery still are career-threatening injuries. Correct diagnosis and treatment increase the probability of a throwing athlete returning to competition.