INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — They start here. By age 14, a pitch can reach 80 mph — but it can take its toll on growing arms and elbows.

“These overuse injuries, particularly at our adolescent level, are continuing to grow,” said Dr. Jason Zaremski.

Dr. Zaremski is the director of the University of Florida Health Throwing Clinic. He’s seen an uptick in torn UCL’s.

“We call it a little league elbow. The fancy term is called apophysis or inflammation at the growth plate in the elbow,” he said.

In a paper published in the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine, Zaremski calls for stricter guidelines — starting with enforced pitch counts.

“These guidelines that are out there are primarily at the high school level, but when you go play in travel ball leagues and summer leagues, those regulations don’t necessarily have to be followed,” Zaremski said.

Players 14 and younger who throw 25 or more pitches should not pitch the following day.

“If you include warmup and your bullpen and throwing between innings, you’re actually throwing about 40% more pitches,” Zaremski said.

No pitching off the mound in practice on consecutive days and teens should stop using weighted baseballs in practice.

“You’re throwing more and throwing harder. At some point, your elbow’s going to break down,” he said.

Although these injuries are not life-threatening, they can sideline players for a year.

This story was created from a script aired on WISH-TV. Health Spotlight is presented by Community Health Network.