A new high tech program is trying to reduce arm pain for baseball players

Baseball, known as America's favorite pastime has been around a long time, but helping kids not get hurt involves some new high tech concepts.

About 75 percent of youth baseball players report having arm pain. Now, a new high tech program is helping to prevent these injuries. 

Jeremiah Cangelosi has loved baseball since the age of three. "I throw two to three times a week, and then I really play all year except for three months in the winter." 

But pitching that much can take a toll. 

"I have had soreness just from throwing a lot and everything."

It turns out the cause of that soreness wasn't just the number of pitches he threw. It was also in his form. 

Two years ago he started working with Michael Macatangay, an athletic trainer at Nationwide Children's Hospital, who helped develop a unique injury prevention program. 

"One of the components we use for this injury prevention program is they actually analyze their throw using video analysis through our iPad," he explains.  

"It really showed me my arm's not on time with the rest of my body, which was putting a lot of strain on my arm," Jeremiah says.

This allows athletic trainers to find and fix throwing habits that can lead to injuries, personalizing a plan for each player. 

"Every athlete, every thrower has a different type of throwing angle," Macatangay says.

Athletic trainers are hoping schools and baseball leagues will use the program as a model to help kids stay on the field and out of the doctor's office.

"They stay healthy, they enjoy the sport more and, overall, not have to go to the emergency room or in a hospital in general for a baseball injurym" Macatangay says. 

As for Jeremiah, he says the program has not only kept him pain free but he's pitching better than ever. 

"From video to video, every time we met you could see a difference in whatever we had been pinpointing on," Jeremiah says. "I want to keep being able to play. So it's really just trying to keep myself healthy cause I love to be able to compete."

Athletic trainers say one of the most important aspects of the program is monitoring players throughout the season to see how changes to their throw can keep them healthy. 

It's also critical to ensure players get plenty of rest and recovery between games and practices, as overuse is a major cause of injury.