Injury Reduction and Bounce Characteristics of Safety Baseballs and Acceptability by Youth Leagues

Abstract

The only reasonable way to reduce the potential for ball-related youth baseball injuries sustained by the defensive players (the majority of ball-related injuries) is to make the ball less injurious. The American Academy of Pediatrics' 1994 statement on youth baseball injuries in this regard reads, "Consideration should be given to utilizing low-impact NOCSAE-approved baseballs and softballs for children 5 to 14 years of age, if these balls demonstrate satisfactory playing characteristics and reduce injury risk. A variety of studies should be undertaken to determine the efficacy of low-impact balls in reducing serious impact injuries." The purpose of this study, in accordance with this AAP policy, is to investigate the following: A) injury reduction potential of softer baseballs, B) their bounce characteristics, and C) their acceptability by youth leagues. Six simple injury models were studied, baseball bounce characteristics were analyzed, and attitudes of safety baseballs among statewide Little League district presidents were surveyed. Injury models demonstrated less injury potential with safety baseballs compared to that with standard hard baseballs. Safety baseballs bounced higher after vertical drops and slow throws, but during fast throws (with the greatest injury potential), the bounce heights were similar for all ball types. Of 27 survey cards sent out, 13 were returned. While 9 respondents indicated that they were already using safety baseballs for the younger players, none of the 13 respondents indicated that they were planning to expand the use of safety baseballs in their leagues. In conclusion, safety baseballs are less injurious in these models. The bounce characteristics of safety baseballs are satisfactory. Youth baseball league officials are not very willing to expand the use of safety baseballs. We recommend using safety baseballs as a standard for all youth baseball leagues because these balls are safer.

Baseball Injuries

“…Field players: Baseball hardness Both animal and clinical studies have High [12,42,[43][44][45] demonstrated that harder baseballs result in more injuries and a higher risk of commotio cordis. Fixed bases [46,47] Intervention trials have demonstrated High that fixed bases result in far more lower extremity injuries than breakaway bases.…”

“…Impact trauma from the baseball or a baseball bat is a common cause of injury during competition. Efforts have been made to decrease the hardness of baseballs used among younger players in an effort to reduce the frequency of contusions, fractures, and most importantly, commotio cordis [12,44]. Despite the laboratory-based efficacy of these softer baseballs at reducing the likelihood of impact trauma, 2 cases of commotio cordis have been reported after chest wall contact with a reduced-impact baseball [43].…”

“…Table 4 presents the injury prevention methods previously studied that may improve youth baseball safety [12,26,29,35,[44][45][46][47]56]. Levels of evidence were subjectively graded on a four-point scale -high (multiple studies confirming a strong protective effect), moderate (at least one study confirming a modest protective effect), fair (at least one study confirming a modest protective effect, but with at least one other study with a null finding), and low (small protective effect found in one study, but contradicted in other studies).…”

“…Face guards [12,35] Face guards lower the risk of facial High and dental injury and have become increasingly accepted at lower levels of youth baseball. Safety baseballs [12,44,45] Safety baseballs are softer than Moderate traditional baseballs. They reduce the risk of contusions and other injuries associated with baseballs, but the current designs may increase the risk of eye injury due to their deformity characteristics.…”

“…Several companies have developed a variety of low-impact baseballs for use by youth baseball leagues to reduce the likelihood of injury from blunt impact trauma from a thrown or batted ball [12,44]. These balls are designed to mimic the play characteristics of a regulation hard ball, but with softer materials.…”