Treating future MLB players and others with sports injuries

When he was completing a fellowship in sports medicine in Baltimore, MD, Falmouth orthopedic surgeon Andrew Markwith, MD treated members of the Major League Baseball team Washington Nationals. Now he’s on hand here on Cape Cod if future professional players in the Cape Cod Baseball League (CCBL) need help with injuries.

The 10-team Cape League is widely recognized as the premier summer collegiate league in the country and counts more than 300 of its former players currently in Major League Baseball (MLB). The 2023 MLB All-Star game had 18 former Cape Leaguers on the American and National League rosters.

Cape Cod Healthcare has partnered with the league as an official sponsor for the past two years.

If a Cape League player suffers an injury this summer, physicians like Dr. Markwith are ready to help. An orthopedic surgeon trained in sports medicine, Dr. Markwith is part of a multi-specialist team, along with Donald O’Malley, MD, at Falmouth Orthopedic Center. Dr. O’Malley is medical director for the CCBL and team physician for the league’s Falmouth Commodores.

Common Baseball Injuries

Dr. Markwith said the most common injuries suffered by elite baseball players, like Cape Leaguers, are:

• Ulnar collateral ligament tear in the elbow,
• Hamate or hook bone fractures in the hand,
• Oblique strains of the abdominal muscles, and
• Internal impingement of the shoulder.

Injuries to the elbow and shoulder are typically the result of stress from pitching and throwing. Oblique strains in the midsection occur with sudden twisting, such as a hitter swinging the bat, which can also cause hamate bone injuries.

Dr. Markwith said it takes a group effort between the team’s athletic trainer, physical therapist and sports medicine provider to get an injured Cape League player back in the game.

“The value of the athletic trainer is underappreciated and they’re especially important with baseball players because it’s such a long season,” he said. “The athletic trainer is there day to day with the player’s treatment. In conjunction with a sports medicine orthopedic surgeon and then physical therapy, we all work together to get the athlete back as soon as possible.”

Offseason Conditioning Important

Regardless of the injury, whether it’s position players or pitchers, it’s important during treatment and rehabilitation to continue with a stretching program and core strengthening, to the extent they can, Dr. Markwith said.

“If you shut a player down for two or three weeks, and he doesn't do anything during that time, once the player resumes that activity there’s a good chance of recurrence of the injury,” he said.

This is especially important in the offseason, he said. During that time, athletes should:

• Continue consulting with the athletic trainer,
• Keep up with stretching and strengthening regimens, and
• Maintain cardiovascular conditioning to decrease incidents of soft tissue strains when the next season begins.

“As far as preventative advice, the important thing to stress is players shouldn’t have a prolonged period when they’re not doing any activity,” said Dr. Markwith.

Off the field, good nutrition is just as important as the physical play in the game, he said.

“A healthy diet and hydration are important to optimizing performance. When it comes to supplements and protein shakes, such as whey protein, as long as there isn’t a preexisting medical condition, they can be beneficial. However, they must be balanced against the risk of unknowingly taking a banned substance,” said Dr. Markwith.

While a highly-skilled athlete might know his body well, when it comes to self-treatment, it’s always a good idea to first get professional advice, starting with the athletic trainer and team physician, he said.

“If you don't have the right diagnosis, you’re not going to have the right treatment program,” he said.

Official Healthcare Sponsor

As part of the CCHC-CCBL partnership, Cape Cod Healthcare was named the “Official Healthcare Sponsor of the Cape Cod Baseball League” until 2025. The two organizations collaborate on health-centered campaigns on social media and across digital channels, and Cape Cod Healthcare’s dedicated staff has had a regular presence at the ballpark.

“Cape Cod Baseball League games have been a beloved tradition for over 100 years, and we are proud to be the league’s official healthcare sponsor,” said Michael Lauf, President and CEO of Cape Cod Healthcare. “Our dedicated team is committed to providing exceptional, high-quality care that enhances the well-being of our neighbors and visitors in this special region.”