scholarly journals Effect of a 6-Week Weighted Baseball Throwing Program on Pitch Velocity, Pitching Arm Biomechanics, Passive Range of Motion, and Injury Rates

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 327-333 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael M. Reinold ◽  
Leonard C. Macrina ◽  
Glenn S. Fleisig ◽  
Kyle Aune ◽  
James R. Andrews

Background: Emphasis on enhancing baseball pitch velocity has become popular, especially through weighted-ball throwing. However, little is known about the physical effects or safety of these programs. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of training with weighted baseballs on pitch velocity, passive range of motion (PROM), muscle strength, elbow torque, and injury rates. Hypothesis: A 6-week weighted ball training program would result in a change in pitching biomechanical and physical characteristics. Study Design: Randomized controlled trial. Level of Evidence: Level 1. Methods: During the baseball offseason, 38 healthy baseball pitchers were randomized into a control group and an experimental group. Pitch velocity, shoulder and elbow PROM, shoulder strength, elbow varus torque, and shoulder internal rotation velocity were measured in both groups. The experimental group then performed a 6-week weighted ball throwing program 3 times per week using balls ranging from 2 to 32 ounces while the control group only used a 5-ounce regulation baseball. Both groups performed a strength training program. Measurements were then repeated after the 6-week period. Injuries were tracked over the 6-week training program and the subsequent baseball season. The effect of training with a weighted ball program was assessed using 2-way repeated-measures analysis of variance at an a priori significance level of P < 0.05. Results: Mean age, height, mass, and pretesting throwing velocity were 15.3 ± 1.2 years (range, 13-18 years), 1.73 ± 0.28 m, 68.3 ± 11 kg, and 30.3 ± 0.7 m/s, respectively. Pitch velocity showed a statistically significant increase (3.3%) in the experimental group ( P < 0.001). There was a statistically significant increase of 4.3° of shoulder external rotation in the experimental group. The overall injury rate was 24% in the experimental group. Four participants in the experimental group suffered elbow injuries, 2 during the training program and 2 in the season after training. No pitchers in the control group were injured at any time during the study. Conclusion: Performing a 6-week weighted ball throwing program increased pitch velocity. However, the program resulted in increased shoulder external rotation PROM and increased injury rate. Clinical Relevance: Although weighted-ball training may increase pitch velocity, caution is warranted because of the notable increase in injuries and physical changes observed in this cohort.

2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Naho Umeki ◽  
Jun Murata ◽  
Misako Higashijima

Background. Stroke causes severe disability, including motor and sensory impairments. We hypothesized that upper limb functional recovery after stroke may be augmented by combining treatments for motor and sensory functions. In order to examine this hypothesis, we conducted a controlled trial on rehabilitation for sensory function to the plegic hand. Methods. The sensory training program consisted of several types of discrimination tasks performed under blind conditions. The sensory training program was performed for 20 min per day, 5 days a week. An experimental group of 31 patients followed this sensory program, while a control group of 25 patients underwent standard rehabilitation. The efficacy of the intervention was evaluated by the tactile-pressure threshold, handgrip strength, and the completion time of manipulating objects. A two-way repeated measures analysis of variance was used to assess interactions between group and time. Moreover, to provide a meaningful analysis for comparisons, effect sizes were calculated using Cohen’s d. Results. The mean change in the tactile pressure threshold was significantly larger in the experimental group than in the control group (p<0.05, d=0.59). Moreover, the completion times to manipulate a middle-sized ball (d=0.53) and small ball (d=0.80) and a small metal disc (d=0.81) in the experimental group were significantly different from those in the control group (p<0.05). Conclusion. The present results suggest that the sensory training program to enhance finger discrimination ability contributes to improvements in not only sensory function but also manual function in stroke patients. The trial is registered with the UMIN Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN000032025).


2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Héctor Guerrero-Tapia ◽  
Rodrigo Martín-Baeza ◽  
Rubén Cuesta-Barriuso

Abstract Background: Abdominal and lumbo-pelvic stability alterations may origin lower limb injuries, such as for example adductor pathology in soccer players. Imbalance can be caused by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Methods: This randomized controlled trial conducted over an 8-week period included 25 female footballers randomly allocated to an experimental group (isometric abdominal training and gluteus medius-specific training) or a control group (isometric abdominal training). The exercise protocol in common for both groups included three exercises: Plank, Lateral plank and Bird dog. Specific exercises for the gluteus medius were: Pelvic drop and Stabilization of the gluteus medius in knee valgus. Outcome measures were lumbo-pelvic stability and adductor strength.Results. Lumbo-pelvic stability after surgery was higher in the control group (MD: 4.84 vs MD: 9.58; p < .01) with differences in the analysis of repeated measures (p<.001), but not in group interaction (p =.26). Changes were found in adductor strength in the experimental group (MD: -2.48; p<.001 in the left adductor; MD: -1.48; p<.01 in right adductor) and control group (MD: -1.68; p<.001 in the left adductor; MD: -2.05; p<.001 in the right adductor) after the intervention, with differences in the analysis of repeated measures in left (p<.001) and right (p<.001) adductor strength.Conclusions. An abdominal and gluteal training protocol shows no advantage over a protocol of abdominal training alone for lumbo-pelvic stability and adductor strength and flexibility, while improvements are maintained at four weeks follow-up. Trial Registration Number: NCT03617887.


2017 ◽  
Vol 52 (11) ◽  
pp. 993-1001 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Benjaminse ◽  
Wytze Postma ◽  
Ina Janssen ◽  
Egbert Otten

Context:  In team handball, an anterior cruciate ligament injury often occurs during landing after a jump shot. Many intervention programs try to reduce the injury rate by instructing athletes to land more safely. Video is an effective way to provide feedback, but little is known about its influence on landing technique in sport-specific situations. Objective:  To test the effectiveness of a video-overlay feedback method on landing technique in elite handball players. Design:  Controlled laboratory study. Setting:  Laboratory. Patients or Other Participants:  A total of 16 elite female handball players assigned to a control group (n = 8; age = 17.61 ± 1.34 years, height = 1.73 ± 0.06 m, mass = 69.55 ± 4.29 kg) or video group (n = 8; age = 17.81 ± 0.86 years, height = 1.71 ± 0.03 m, mass = 64.28 ± 6.29 kg). Intervention(s):  Both groups performed jump shots in a pretest, 2 training sessions, and a posttest. The video group received video feedback of an expert model with an overlay of their own jump shots in training sessions 1 and 2, whereas the control group did not. Main Outcome Measure(s):  We measured ankle, knee, and hip angles in the sagittal plane at initial contact and peak flexion; range of motion; and Landing Error Scoring System (LESS) scores. One 2 × 4 repeated-measures analysis of variance was conducted to analyze the group, time, and interaction effects of all kinematic outcome measures and the LESS score. Results:  The video group improved knee and hip flexion at initial contact and peak flexion and range of motion. In addition, the group's average peak ankle flexion (12.0° at pretest to 21.8° at posttest) and LESS score (8.1 pretest to 4.0 posttest) improved. When we considered performance variables, no differences between groups were found in shot accuracy or vertical jump height, whereas horizontal jump distance in the video group increased over time. Conclusions:  Overlay visual feedback is an effective method for improving landing kinematics during a sport-specific jump shot. Further research is warranted to determine the long-term effects and transfer to training and game situations.


Author(s):  
Soonyeol Lee

This study developed Risk Sensitivity Improvement program for Driver. A driver 62 people were developing a training program which can improve risk sensitivity factors was verified its effectiveness. By separating the driver from the control group and the experimental group populations was performed education program training a session, when compared to the risk sensitivity level before and 2 weeks after training showed significant improvements in risk sensitivity. The degree of risk sensitivity is improved risk sensitivity(Risk Sensitivity: RS) measure item were verified by. Risk sensitivity measure item was measured part of the risk perception and emotional anxiety. Control group and experimental group risk sensitivity level prior to performing risk sensitivity enhancement training program showed the same level. Repeated measures ANOVA and paired sample results to verify the effectiveness of using the t-test, the experimental group performed improving the risk sensitivity of a single session education program showed significant improvement in risk-sensitive than the control group. The risk-sensitive development programs through improved education could verify that it can be an effective training program that can make a difference in risk driving behavior of the driver.


2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (6_suppl3) ◽  
pp. 2325967118S0004
Author(s):  
M Solana-Tramunt ◽  
R Lopez-Vidriero ◽  
E Lopez-Vidriero

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine whether a static stretch of posterior deltoid could reduce the glenohumeral internal rotation deficit (GIRD) and the total arc of movement deficit (TAMD) in professional swimmers after competition. Methods: Participants: A total of 74 professional swimmers aged from 16-33 years volunteered to participated in the study. Their competition experience were more than 2 years at national level. All the subjects were informed in written and verbal form and signed their informed consent before being assessed. Design and procedures: A randomized repeated measures design was used to assess the glenohumeral rotation in 3 moments: prior to the race, just after finishing their trial and after performing a static passive stretch of posterior deltoid muscles of 90-sec. In randomized order the computer selected 20 subjects as a control group (CG) who didn’t perform the stretching. The experimental group (EG) included 54 swimmers. The glenohumeral internal and external rotation (IR and ER) were recorded by a video camera (IPhone 6 S, version 10.1), in sagittal plane, with the center of the screen at shoulder high. Subjects were laying on supine position over a massage table, with the glenohumeral joint at 90° of abduction, the elbow at 90° of flexion, and the researcher controlling the scapula movements by pushing the shoulder over coracoid apophasis. The App Thechnique (Ubersense ©) was used to measure the glenohumeral rotation degrees between the vertical line (controlled by a plumb) and the forearm segment. Results: The multifactorial ANOVA showed that there were significant differences on GIRD and TAMD between the experimental and the control group performing the stretching F(2,70)=49.150, P=0.000, η2p=0.992. The experimental group reduced the GIRD a16.2% and the TAMD a 6.7%. The dominant IR mean values changed significantly from 66.3±12.5 to 79.2±10.4 degrees for EG ( P=0.00) and non-significantly for CG, from 74.6±12.7 to 77.6±13.9 degrees ( P=0.11). The dominant TAM means changed significantly in EG from 173.2±16.8 to 192.0±17.0 degrees ( P=0.00) and non- significantly for CG 181.5±21.7 to 188.2±23.3 degrees ( P=0.12). Conclusion: To apply a static passive stretching on posterior deltoid during 90-sec reduced GIRD and the TAMD in professional swimmers after competition, which suggest a reduced risk of shoulder injury in these overhead athletes.


2017 ◽  
Vol 2017 ◽  
pp. 1-7 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sevda Korkut Bayındır ◽  
Gülsüm Nihal Çürük ◽  
Abdurrahman Oguzhan

Aims. The aim of this study is to determine the pain reduction effectiveness of ice bag applications to the femoral region in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.Material and Methods. A randomized controlled trial with repeated measures and two-group design. The study was completed with a total of 104 patients who met the inclusion criteria: 52 each in the experimental group and the control group. The pain experienced by the patients was evaluated before and during removal and again while the nurse applied pressure on the catheter site after removal. The NRS scores were identified as NRS1, NRS2, and NRS3 for the three assessment, respectively.Results. The NRS1 score was similar between the two groups. It increased at the 2nd measurement, and a statistically significant difference was determined between the two groups (4.0 (3.0-4.0) in the experimental group and 6.0 (4.0-7.0) in the control group) (p<0.001).Conclusions. The results of the study revealed that ice bag application to femoral region was effective in reducing pain induced by femoral catheter removal in patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. Local ice bag application may therefore be recommended as a nursing intervention for pain control in such cases.


2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (1) ◽  
pp. 102-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mahsa Jafari ◽  
Vahid Zolaktaf ◽  
Gholamali Ghasemi

Purpose: Firefighters require a high level of functional fitness to operate safely, effectively, and efficiently. The authors studied the distribution of functional movement screen (FMS) scores in firefighters and examined whether an 8-week corrective exercise program based on National Academy of Sport Medicine guidelines could improve them. Methods: All 524 active firefighters of a city completed the baseline FMS testing. Those who obtained a score of 14 or less, a sign of movement dysfunction, and volunteered to continue their participation were randomly assigned to either an experimental (n = 51) or a control (n = 45) group. Both groups participated in an 8-week training program. The control group used their own usual training routine, but the experimental group used the specific protocol designed for the study. Results: The FMS scores of 43% of the population were less than 14. Repeated-measures analysis of variance revealed a significant interaction between FMS scores of the groups (F1,94 =165, P < .001). The experimental group showed a 69% improvement from pretest (10.6) to posttest (17.8), whereas the control group showed only a 3% improvement from pretest (11.8) to posttest (12.1). Conclusions: Preceding studies have shown that FMS scores less than 14 increase the injury risk. The findings showed that using our proposed training protocol, low FMS scores could be improved to 14 and higher. Considering the high injury rate of firefighters, the authors suggest administering FMS periodically and to use a training protocol such as ours, to increase functional fitness and reduce injury risk.


2015 ◽  
Vol 24 (4) ◽  
pp. 405-412 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sean M. Burfeind ◽  
Nicole Chimera

Context:Athletes participating in upper-extremity-dominant sports such as softball and volleyball are at increased risk for glenohumeral-joint pain and injury. For these athletes, an integral part of many injuryprevention and -rehabilitation programs includes improving joint proprioception. One way to measure joint proprioception is through the reproduction of joint angles, or joint-reposition sense (JRS). Kinesiology tape is purported to enhance neuromuscular feedback; therefore, it may influence JRS. However, conflicting findings and the lack of research in the upper extremity warrant further investigation.Objective:To determine the effects of kinesiology tape on shoulder-joint proprioception by actively reproducing joint angles, or measurement of JRS.Design:Randomized controlled trial.Setting:College laboratory.Participants:9 men and 7 women 24 ± 3 y old.Intervention:SpiderTech kinesiology tape precut Shoulder Spider was applied to the shoulder of participants block randomized to the experimental group, following product-specific instructions, to measure its influence on JRS compared with a control group.Main Outcome Measurement:JRS-error scores in shoulder flexion, extension, internal rotation, and external rotation (ER).Results:There was a significant interaction between groups pre- to postintervention resulting in decreased JRS errors in flexion (P = .04) and ER (P = .03) in the experimental compared with the control group. The 95% confidence intervals suggest a clinically relevant difference in the variability of JRS errors between postintervention movements for the experimental group in flexion and ER, such that the control group demonstrated much more variability in JRS errors than the experimental group.Conclusions:After the application of kinesiology tape the JRS errors were smaller in flexion and ER. This may be of clinical significance in improving proprioception and thus improving joint stability. Additional research should determine the effectiveness of kinesiology tape in reducing joint injury.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 488-494
Author(s):  
Michael M. Reinold ◽  
Leonard C. Macrina ◽  
Glenn S. Fleisig ◽  
Monika Drogosz ◽  
James R. Andrews

Background: Baseball pitching injuries are increasing at an alarming rate. While weighted ball throwing programs may be effective at increasing pitching velocity, previous research has identified a 24% injury rate and a 3.3° increase in shoulder external rotation (ER) range of motion (ROM) after performing a 6-week program. However, previous research has not investigated, separately, the immediate effects of throwing underloaded and overloaded balls on ROM. The purpose of this study was to examine the acute effects of throwing differently weighted baseballs on shoulder ROM. By analyzing these differences, it may be possible to determine the specific weight range that may lead to the greatest increase in ROM and potential injury risk. Hypothesis: Throwing with weighted balls will result in an increase in shoulder ER ROM. Study Design: Randomized controlled trial. Level of Evidence: Level 2. Methods: A total of 16 male high school baseball pitchers agreed to participate in this study. The participants were (mean ± SD) 17.1 ± 1.0 years of age, 1.81 ± 0.09 m tall, and had a mass of 79.2 ± 11.1 kg. Each participant was tested on 3 different days, 1 week apart, with 3 different conditions in random order: (1) underload throwing, using regulation 5-oz baseballs and 4- and 2-oz balls; (2) overload throwing, using 5-, 6-, and 9-oz balls; and (3) extreme overload throwing, using 5-, 16-, and 32-oz balls. Each testing session began by measuring passive shoulder ROM (external rotation and internal rotation) using standard goniometric measurements. Participants then performed 3 throws with each weighted ball from 3 different positions (kneeling, rocker, and run-and-gun) for a total of 27 throws each test session. ROM measurements were repeated at the end of each test session. The effect of each throwing condition on ROM was compared from pre- to posttraining using a paired t test ( P ≤ 0.05). Results: There was no significant difference in ER after throwing at underloaded weights. The overload condition showed a statistically significant increase of 3.3° in external rotation ( P = 0.05). The extreme overload condition showed a statistically significant increase in ER of 8.4° ( P < 0.001). There were no differences in internal rotation for any group. Conclusion: A significant increase in shoulder ER was observed immediately after throwing overload weighted balls. This effect increased as the weights of the balls increased. Clinical Relevance: Throwing with overload weighted baseballs causes an immediate increase in shoulder ER ROM. It is unknown why these changes occur; however, the results may explain both the increase in velocity and injury rates previously observed from throwing weighted balls. The current study results may be used to develop more scientifically validated weighted ball programs. Heavier balls should be used with caution, and ROM should be monitored during implementation of these programs.


Author(s):  
Su-Wen Lin ◽  
Shu-Ching Chen ◽  
Fang-Yi Huang ◽  
Ming-Ying Lee ◽  
Chun-Chu Chang

Peripheral intravenous catheters (PVCs) are common treatment modalities for pediatric patients, and may cause infection, infiltration, occlusion, and phlebitis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of a clinically indicated peripheral intravenous replacement (CIPIR) on PVC indwelling time and complication rates in pediatric patients. This study used a randomized, pre- and post-repeated measures design. A total of 283 participants were randomly assigned to an experimental group (n = 140) and a control group (n = 143). The experimental group received CIPIR and the control group received usual care with routine PVC replacement every three days. The insert sites of PVC were assessed every day until the signs of infiltration, occlusion, or phlebitis were presented. Patients in the experimental group had significantly longer PVC indwelling times compared to those in the control group (t = −18.447, p < 0.001). No significant differences were noted between groups in infiltration (χ2 = 2.193, p = 0.139), occlusion (χ2 = 0.498, p = 0.481), or phlebitis (χ2 = 3.865, p = 0.050). CIPIR can prolong the PVC indwelling time in pediatric patients with no increase in the rate of adverse events.


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