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The Impact of Health Shocks on Worker Performance: Evidence from Professional Sports

Author

Listed:
  • Yulia Chikish

    (SUNY Purchase)

  • Brad R. Humphreys

    (West Virginia University)

Abstract

Workplace injuries generate substantial costs to workers and employers. We analyze con- sequences of a workplace injury, ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) damage in elbows of baseball pitchers. Once career ending, a method to repair torn UCLs, Tommy John surgery, was de- veloped in the 1970s. We analyze performance of pitchers before and after undergoing this surgery and also compare them to a matched sample of uninjured pitchers. Surgical repair of UCL injuries extends post-injury careers by roughly one season relative to matched uninjured pitchers, generating economic benefits for players and teams. Post-injury performance, in terms of batting success of hitters faced by pitchers, improves by roughly 3%. Pitchers returning from the injury face fewer batters per season than matched uninjured pitchers.

Suggested Citation

  • Yulia Chikish & Brad R. Humphreys, "undated". "The Impact of Health Shocks on Worker Performance: Evidence from Professional Sports," Working Papers 24-06, Department of Economics, West Virginia University.
    • Handle: RePEc:wvu:wpaper:24-06
    as

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    File URL: https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1076&context=econ_working-papers
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Tommy John surgery; Major League Baseball; career length; health shocks;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I12 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health Behavior
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • Z20 - Other Special Topics - - Sports Economics - - - General

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