Grip Strength Measurement in Baseball Pitchers: A Clinical Examination to Indicate Stride Length Inefficiency.
Ryan Crotin, Dan Ramsey
PMID 34631254WHAT IT FOUND
Shortened stride length caused a 1.9 kg drop in dominant-arm grip strength after 80 pitches, while over-striding showed no significant change.
Grip strength loss may signal fatigue when ball velocity remains stable, but this small pilot does not prove injury risk.
Key findings
01Under-stride pitching caused a significant decline in dominant arm grip strength, whereas over-stride pitching did not.
02The mean drop in dominant arm grip strength for the under-stride condition was 1.9 kg, from 45.1 kg pre-game to 43.2 kg post-game.
03The non-dominant arm did not show significant strength changes, suggesting the dominant arm is the necessary target for monitoring fatigue.
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 participants, which limits the generalizability of the findings. The effect size for the strength loss was small (d=0.28), meaning the clinical impact of this drop is uncertain. Pitching was performed on flat ground in a laboratory setting rather than from a mound in a game, which may alter fatigue responses. The study did not measure elbow valgus torque, so it cannot confirm that the observed grip strength loss directly increases injury risk. The 15-second rest interval between pitches may not reflect current professional rules, potentially exaggerating fatigue levels.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that a 1.9 kg grip strength loss confirms an increased risk of ulnar collateral ligament injury. The study did not measure elbow torque, and the small effect size means this change may not be clinically significant for all pitchers.