Throw Like a Pro, an application that helps baseball players reduce the likelihood of throwing injuries, is available for download on the App Store. The app provides knowledge of Dr. James Andrews and Dr. Kevin Wilk, two of the world’s foremost experts on overuse injuries in baseball. If followed, the creators of Throw Like a Pro anticipate a 60% reduction in overuse related baseball injuries in the coming years.
Professional baseball has already seen 45 players require Tommy John surgery in 2014. Associate Clinical Director for Champion Sports Medicine, Dr. Kevin Wilk, insinuated professional baseball players are just the tip of the iceberg:
“For the people who think famous, major league pitchers are the only ones undergoing Tommy John surgery, we have news for you. We have seen countless youth and teenage baseball players with elbow injuries… It’s very unfortunate, sad, and in many cases, probably avoidable.”
Wilk’s view of this problem stemming from youth baseball is shared by Andrews. “In a single day, I completed eight Tommy John surgeries. Two of my patients were major league pitchers, another two pitched for college teams, and four were high schoolers ranging in age from fourteen to seventeen. It was a remarkable day because it reminded me how widespread the problem of professional level injuries has become, even at the teenage level.”
Throw Like a Pro addresses many of the contributing factors of overuse injuries with a comprehensive set of features. These include a pre-season exercise regimen, an in-season maintenance guide, an age-based pitch counter and rest calculator, and other training and rest recommendations.
According to Abracadabra Health CEO Dewar Gaines, Throw Like a Pro marks the first of many exciting future developments in what he calls “preventive personal care.” “We want to give people the power to proactively approach health and wellness by providing access to two of the brightest minds in sports medicine…we feel this is the future of mobile healthcare, and I plan to be at the forefront,” said Gaines.
