The surprising results of new studies about an old topic reveal an ongoing concern in youth sports.

Research teams in Alabama and Connecticut studied the effects of young athletes throwing curve balls; and both found it less stressful to young arms than conventional wisdom has held.

“Less stressful” is faint praise, to be sure; and perhaps not the most important conclusion from the new reports to be drawn by those who lead youth baseball programs, which is that the real culprit of arm damage is overuse – too much pitching, not one particular pitch.

Reflecting that concern, the rules of high school baseball in Michigan have held for many years that a student shall not pitch more than three consecutive days regardless of the outs pitched; and a student shall not pitch for two calendar days following that in which he pitched his 30th out.

For more information visit the website of the American Sports Medicine Institute and the August 2009 issue of the American Journal of Sports Medicine.