Data-Based Interval Throwing Programs for Little League, High School, College, and Professional Baseball Pitchers

Background: Several recommendations have been made regarding pitch counts and workload for baseball players of different levels, including Little League, high school, collegiate, and professional baseball. However, little consensus is found in the literature regarding the scientific basis for many of these recommendations. Purpose: The primary purpose of this study was to summarize the evidence regarding immediate and long-term musculoskeletal responses to increasing pitching workload in baseball pitchers of all levels. A secondary purpose of this review was to evaluate the extent to which workload influences injury and/or performance in baseball pitchers. Study Design: Systematic review. Methods: We performed a systematic search in accordance with PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines for studies addressing physiologic and/or pathologic musculoskeletal changes in response to a quantifiable pitching workload. We included studies examining the effects of pitching workload on performance, injury rate, and musculoskeletal changes in Little League, high school, collegiate, and professional baseball players. Results: We identified 28 studies that met our inclusion and exclusion criteria: 16 studies regarding Little League and high school pitchers and 12 studies regarding collegiate and professional pitchers. The current evidence presented suggests that increased pitching workload may be associated with an increased risk of pain, injury, and arm fatigue in Little League and high school pitchers. However, little consensus was found in the literature regarding the association between pitching workload and physiologic or pathologic changes in collegiate and professional pitchers. Conclusion: Evidence, although limited, suggests the use of pitch counts to decrease injury rates and pain in Little League and high school baseball pitchers. However, further research must be performed to determine the appropriate number of pitches (or throws) for players of different ages. This systematic review reported conflicting evidence regarding the use of pitch counts in college and professional baseball. Future high-quality research is required to determine the role, if any, of pitch counts for collegiate and professional pitchers.

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Glenohumeral-Rotation-Deficits In High School, College, And Professional Baseball Pitchers With And Without An Mucl Injury

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise ◽

10.1249/01.mss.0000562834.92404.30 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 51 (Supplement) ◽

pp. 783

Author(s):

Rafael F. Escamilla

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

Professional Baseball ◽

Baseball Pitchers

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727 COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THROWING KINEMATICS FROM LITTLE LEAGUE TO PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL PITCHERS

Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise ◽

10.1249/00005768-199305001-00729 ◽

1993 ◽

Vol 25 (Supplement) ◽

pp. S131 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Andrew J. Cosgarea ◽

Kevin R. Campbell ◽

Sandy S. Hagood ◽

Edward G. McFarland ◽

Charles E. Silberstein

Keyword(s):

Comparative Analysis ◽

Professional Baseball ◽

Little League ◽

Baseball Pitchers

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Glenohumeral rotation deficits in high school, college, and professional baseball pitchers with and without a medial ulnar collateral ligament injury

Journal of Shoulder and Elbow Surgery ◽

10.1016/j.jse.2018.11.038 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 28 (3) ◽

pp. 423-429 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Roger Ostrander ◽

Rafael F. Escamilla ◽

Ryan Hess ◽

Kevin Witte ◽

Luke Wilcox ◽

...

Keyword(s):

High School ◽

Ulnar Collateral Ligament ◽

Ligament Injury ◽

Professional Baseball ◽

Collateral Ligament ◽

Ulnar Collateral Ligament Injury ◽

Baseball Pitchers

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Correlation of Range of Motion and Glenohumeral Translation in Professional Baseball Pitchers

Yearbook of Sports Medicine ◽

10.1016/s0162-0908(08)70297-6 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 2006 ◽

pp. 61-62

Author(s):

R.C. Cantu

Keyword(s):

Range Of Motion ◽

Professional Baseball ◽

Baseball Pitchers

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Lumbopelvic Control and the Development of Upper Extremity Injury in Professional Baseball Pitchers

The American Journal of Sports Medicine ◽

10.1177/0363546520988122 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 036354652098812

Author(s):

Kevin Laudner ◽

Regan Wong ◽

Daniel Evans ◽

Keith Meister

Keyword(s):

Upper Extremity ◽

Lower Limbs ◽

Group Differences ◽

Professional Baseball ◽

Extremity Injury ◽

Level Of Evidence ◽

Balance Task ◽

Upper Extremity Injury ◽

Baseball Pitchers ◽

Extremity Injuries

Background: The baseball-throwing motion requires a sequential order of motions and forces initiating in the lower limbs and transferring through the trunk and ultimately to the upper extremity. Any disruption in this sequence can increase the forces placed on subsequent segments. No research has examined if baseball pitchers with less lumbopelvic control are more likely to develop upper extremity injury than pitchers with more control. Purpose: To determine if baseball pitchers who sustain a chronic upper extremity injury have less lumbopelvic control before their injury compared with a group of pitchers who do not sustain an injury. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: A total of 49 asymptomatic, professional baseball pitchers from a single Major League Baseball organization participated. Lumbopelvic control was measured using an iPod-based digital level secured to a Velcro belt around each player’s waist to measure anteroposterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) deviations (degrees) during single-leg balance with movement and static bridge maneuvers. During a competitive season, 22 of these pitchers developed upper extremity injuries, while the remaining 27 sustained no injuries. Separate 2-tailed t-tests were run to determine if there were significant differences in lumbopelvic control between groups ( P < .05). Results: There were no significant between-group differences for the stride leg (nondominant) during the bridge test in either the AP ( P = .79) or the ML ( P = .42) directions, or either direction during the drive leg bridge test ( P > .68). However, the injured group had significantly less lumbopelvic control than the noninjured group during stride leg balance in both the AP ( P = .03) and the ML ( P = .001) directions and for drive leg balance in both the AP ( P = .01) and the ML ( P = .04) directions. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that baseball pitchers with diminished lumbopelvic control, particularly during stride leg and drive leg single-leg balance with movement, had more upper extremity injuries than those with more control. Clinicians should consider evaluating lumbopelvic control in injury prevention protocols and provide appropriate exercises for restoring lumbopelvic control before returning athletes to competition after injury. Specific attention should be given to testing and exercises that mimic a single-limb balance task.

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The Relationship between Scapular Upward Rotation and Shoulder Internal and External Rotation Isokinetic Strength in Professional Baseball Pitchers

Healthcare ◽

10.3390/healthcare9060759 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (6) ◽

pp. 759

Author(s):

Byung Gon Kim ◽

Seung Kil Lim ◽

Sunga Kong

Keyword(s):

External Rotation ◽

Professional Baseball ◽

Isokinetic Strength ◽

Strength Ratio ◽

Shoulder Injury ◽

Isokinetic Dynamometer ◽

Normal Range ◽

History Of ◽

Baseball Pitchers ◽

The Relationship

This study aims to assess the relationship between scapular upward rotation (SUR) across varying humeral-elevation angles (HEAs) and shoulder isokinetic strength and ratio in professional baseball pitchers. The subjects were professional baseball pitchers (n = 16) without a history of shoulder injury in the last six months. The subject’s SUR angles were measured with the humerus elevated at HEAs of 0° (at rest), 60°, 90°, and 120° to the scapular plane. Shoulder isokinetic strength was evaluated for shoulder internal rotation (IR) and external rotation (ER) strength (PT%BW and TW%BW), and the ER/IR strength ratios were determined at 60, 120 and 180°/s using an isokinetic dynamometer. The SUR angle at an HEA of 0° was positively correlated with IR strength at 120°/s (r = 0.535) and 180°/s (r = 0.522). The SUR angle at an HEA of 60° was negatively correlated with the ER/IR strength ratios at 60°/s (r = −0.505) and 120°/s (r = −0.500). The SUR angle at an HEA of 90° was negatively correlated with the ER/IR strength ratios at 60°/s (r = −0.574; r = −0.554) and 120°/s (r = −0.521; r = −0.589) as well as with ER strength at 180°/s (r = −0.591, r = −0.556). The SUR angle at an HEA of 120° was negatively correlated with ER strength at 60°/s (r = −0.558), 120°/s (r = −0.504; r = −0.524), and 180°/s (r = −0.543) and the ER/IR strength ratio at 60°/s (r = −0.517). In this study, we found that the ratio of isokinetic strength between ER and IR became closer to the normal range on increasing the SUR angle. In particular, an HEA of 90°, which resembles the pitching motion, showed a clear relationship between SUR, shoulder ER, and the ratio of ER/IR isokinetic strength in professional baseball pitchers.

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