Analysis of lower extremity side-reaching motion in junior high school baseball players.
Yasuhiro Endo, Masaaki Sakamoto
PMID 31871380WHAT IT FOUND
Longer side reaches in junior high baseball players were associated with more hip abduction and trunk side bending.
The paper did not test pitching performance or injury, so it cannot guide treatment changes.
Key findings
01At maximum side reach, reach distance was significantly correlated with reach-leg hip abduction, supporting-leg hip abduction, trunk side bending, and trunk tilt.
02Reach-leg hip abduction was significantly correlated with pelvic tilt and trunk side bending, and supporting-leg hip abduction was significantly correlated with pelvic tilt, knee valgus, and trunk side bending.
03Knee valgus was significantly correlated with lower-leg tilt and trunk tilt, and trunk side bending was significantly correlated with pelvic tilt.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
Only 25 male junior high baseball players were tested, and none had a recent lower-limb injury, so the findings may not apply to other ages, sexes, skill levels, or injured players. The study measured side reach motion and correlations only; it did not measure pitching performance or injury outcomes, so it cannot show that these movement patterns cause injury or affect throwing. The authors state the results do not describe a typical normal side reach motion, so there is no reference for what is normal. Because the measurements were taken at one time, the correlations cannot show which movement change leads to a longer reach or better pitching. The paper says it could not examine function with the techniques used and that factors such as strength, flexibility, coordination, and neurological control were not separated.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest associated with the manuscript.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that this side-reach pattern predicts pitching injury or performance. The study measured correlations only and did not investigate injury occurrence or pitching outcomes.