Changes in Normalized Shoulder Strength and Self-Perceived Function in Healthy Division One Baseball Players Over the Course of a Competitive Season.
Sean Kennedy, Samuel Roth, John Conway and 4 others
PMID 41048416WHAT IT FOUND
Shoulder strength changed significantly over a competitive season in 49 healthy collegiate baseball players, but self-perceived function did not.
Pitchers and non-pitchers showed similar patterns. Strength benchmarks from this study can guide clinical assessment during the season.
Key findings
01Normalized shoulder strength changed significantly over the season, with scaption showing the largest decreases early and recoveries late.
02Self-perceived function (KJOC scores) did not change significantly over the season.
03There were no significant differences in strength changes between pitchers and non-pitchers.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study included athletes from only two local Division I programs, limiting generalizability to other collegiate levels or regions. Testing positions for rotational strength were not functional throwing positions, which may affect the applicability of the results to on-field performance. No strengthening interventions were monitored, so the natural variation in strength cannot be distinguished from the effects of specific training programs. The study did not track injuries, so it is unknown whether these strength changes predict injury risk.
Declared interests
None of the authors have any conflicts of interest to disclose.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the significant decrease in shoulder strength during the season as a sign of pathology or injury risk. The athletes were healthy and asymptomatic, and the changes were within the expected range for this population over a competitive season. Self-reported function did not change, suggesting these strength fluctuations may be a normal adaptation to workload.
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