Epidemiology of Ulnar Collateral Ligament Injuries in Collegiate Baseball Players

This study described the epidemiology of elbow medial ulnar collateral ligament injuries in collegiate baseball players between the 2014 to 2015 and 2018 to 2019 academic years using National Collegiate Athletic Association Injury Surveillance Program data. Injury rate ratios and descriptive statistics were used to characterize the epidemiology of these injuries. The overall medial ulnar collateral ligament injury rate in National Collegiate Athletic Association baseball players between 2015 and 2019 was 0.95/10,000 athletic exposures. Medial ulnar collateral ligament injury rates rose annually from 2015 to 2019. The medial ulnar collateral ligament injury rate was statistically significantly higher in competition (1.36/10,000 athletic exposures) than practice (0.61/10,000 athletic exposures; injury rate ratio: 2.22; confidence interval: 1.27-3.88). Pitchers accounted for 83.3% of injured players. Forty-three percent of medial ulnar collateral ligament injuries required athletes to miss the remainder of the season, and 18.5% of medial ulnar collateral ligament injuries required surgical intervention. In conclusion, the rate of medial ulnar collateral ligament injuries in collegiate baseball players increased steadily each year from 2015 to 2019. Medial ulnar collateral ligament injuries occur at a significantly higher rate during competition compared to practice, and pitchers account for the greatest number of medial ulnar collateral ligament injuries among college baseball players.