Correlation of upper limb joint load withsimultaneous throwing mechanics including acceleration parameters in amateur baseball pitchers.
Yoichi Kaizu, Hideomi Watanabe, Takehiko Yamaji
PMID 29545682WHAT IT FOUND
Ball acceleration was linked to higher shoulder torque and to higher elbow torque after maximum shoulder external rotation in 19 amateur pitchers; shoulder horizontal adduction speed was linked to higher elbow torque before that point.
This did not test injury prevention.
Key findings
01Ball acceleration had the strongest independent association with shoulder internal rotation torque.
02Before maximum shoulder external rotation, shoulder horizontal adduction velocity was associated with elbow varus torque.
03After maximum shoulder external rotation, ball acceleration was associated with elbow varus torque.
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 only 19 pitchers, and the elbow analyses used 13 pitchers before maximum shoulder external rotation and 16 pitchers after it. The pitchers were amateur players, not professional or college-level players, so different mechanics may apply at higher levels. Only upper torso, upper extremity, and ball parameters were analyzed; lower body motion was not included. The paper did not propose concrete methods of motion analysis, treatment, or training. The study was designed to examine correlations between mechanics and torque, not injury outcomes.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these links as proof that changing ball acceleration or shoulder horizontal adduction velocity will reduce injury risk. The study measured 19 amateur pitchers in one pitch and did not test treatment or injury outcomes.