World-renowned orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews and his long-time physical therapist partner Dr. Kevin Wilk is teaming to create an iOS application designed to limit risk of elbow injuries for baseball pitchers.

Andrews, who has performed numerous Tommy John elbow surgeries of baseball players, and Wilk, who has supervised the rehabilitation of baseball players after undergoing surgery, said that the app, named Throw Like a Pro, aims to educate players on how to prevent sustaining major injury.

According to an ESPN report, Throw Like a Pro, which will be released in the coming weeks, features four main elements that were scientifically tested by Andrews and Wilk, based on the numerous cases they have handled over the past several years.

One main element was based on Andrews' recommendation for professional pitchers from the American Sports Medicine Institute, which says that a baseball player should avoid exerting maximum force in the majority of his pitches.

"Do not always pitch with 100 percent effort," the AMSI statement stated. "The best professional pitchers pitch with a range of ball velocity, good ball movement, good control, and consistent mechanics among their pitches. The professional pitcher's objectives are to prevent baserunners and runs, not to light up the radar gun."

Another feature of the app aims to help pitchers prepare for an upcoming match. It includes preparation and pre-game routine along with video showing different throwing exercises recommended by Wilk, which could help pitchers avoid common mistakes that could lead to injuries.

The iOS application also has the ability to track how many pitches were thrown during a match and the entire season along with a rest calculator, which recommends a duration of rest before pitching again.

"Hopefully this will help them to play at peak performance without injury so they can pursue their baseball aspirations in a healthy manner," Wilk said.

Andrews expressed excitement about the upcoming release of the app, which he believes will be very useful not only to players, but also to coaches and parents of aspiring young pitchers.

"I'm really excited," Andrews said. "For the first time, kids and parents everywhere will have access to the information and routines that we hope will put an end to this epidemic.

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