Early Sport Specialization: Effectiveness and Risk of Injury in Professional Baseball Players

Abstract

Background:The rate of early sport specialization in professional baseball players is unknown.Purpose:To report the incidence and age of sport specialization in current professional baseball players and the impact of early specialization on the frequency of serious injuries sustained during the players’ careers. We also queried participants about when serious injuries occurred, the players’ current position on the field, and their opinions regarding the need for young athletes to specialize early to play at the professional level.Study Design:Descriptive epidemiological study.Methods:A total of 102 current professional baseball players anonymously completed a 7-question written survey. Early sport specialization was defined as “single-sport participation prior to high school.” Injury was defined as “a serious injury or surgery that required the player to refrain from sports (baseball) for an entire year.” Chi-square tests were used to investigate the risk of injury in those who specialized early in baseball versus those who did not. Independent-sample t tests were used to compare injury rates based on current player position.Results:Fifty (48%) baseball players specialized early. The mean age at initiation of sport specialization was 8.91 years (SD, 3.7 years). Those who specialized early reported more serious injuries (mean, 0.54; SD, 0.838) during their professional baseball career than those who did not (mean, 0.23; SD, 0.425) (P = .044). Finally, 63.4% of the queried players believed that early sport specialization was not required to play professional baseball.Conclusion:Our study demonstrated a statistically significant higher rate of serious injury during a baseball player’s professional career in those players who specialized early. Most current professional baseball players surveyed believed that sport specialization was not required prior to high school to master the skills needed to play at the professional level. Our findings demonstrate an increased incidence of serious injuries in professional baseball players who specialized in baseball prior to high school. Youth baseball athletes should be encouraged not to participate in a single sport given the potential for an increased incidence of serious injuries later in their careers. No data are available to suggest that early specialization is needed to reach the professional level.

The Psychosocial Implications of Sport Specialization in Pediatric Athletes

“…Professional baseball players who participated only in baseball (single-sport athletes) before high school were more likely to suffer major injuries during their professional careers than players who participated in additional sports (multiple-sport athletes). 44 These studies seem to indicate the prophylactic benefits of performing multiple sports in childhood and adolescence rather than focusing on a single sport.…”

“…Several groups 43,44 have looked at injury risk in young specialized athletes. Rugg et al 43 identified current NBA players who were drafted in the first round from 2008 to 2015 and investigated whether they participated in additional sports (multiple-sport athletes) or played only basketball (single-sport athletes) during high school.…”

“…A major injury was defined as a musculoskeletal injury or condition that kept the player out of baseball for an entire year. 44 Specialization in baseball before high school occurred in 49%, whereas 51% played other sports. Professional baseball players who participated only in baseball (single-sport athletes) before high school were more likely to suffer major injuries during their professional careers than players who participated in additional sports (multiple-sport athletes).…”

Excelling at youth level in competitive track and field athletics is not a prerequisite for later success

“…While much previous research has focused on coaches' knowledge (Fiander, Jones, & Parker, 2013;Lewis, Morgan, & Cooper, 2015;Andronikos et al, 2015), research should also consider the knowledge and strategies implemented by parents (Elliott, Drummond, & Knight, 2017;Harwood & Knight, 2016;Knight, Dorsch, Osai, Haderlie, & Sellars, 2016). Misunderstandings of youth development are likely to lead to problems in relation to early specialisation such as dropout (Crane & Temple, 2015;Fraser-Thomas, Côté, & Deakin, 2008) and injury (Hall, Foss, Hewett, & Myer, 2015;Wilhelm, Choi, & Deitch, 2017).…”

Early Sport Specialization and Subjective Hip and Groin Dysfunction in Collegiate Ice Hockey Athletes

“…Individuals completed the 3-point sport specialization questionnaire 12 that asked whether they had met 3 ice hockey participation criteria at any point before grade 9 of high school. 18 The questions for each criterion were as follows:…”