Periscapular Strength Profile Changes in Collegiate Baseball Pitchers Over the Course of a Season.
Patrick S Pabian, Victoria Roach, Roselin Howard and 2 others
PMID 38835988WHAT IT FOUND
Shoulder flexion strength dropped significantly over the season, while other muscles showed non-significant declines.
Middle trapezius strength fell most sharply early in the season. These changes suggest pitchers lose strength as the season progresses, though the small sample size limits certainty.
Key findings
01Scaption strength decreased significantly by 1.2 kg over the season, exceeding the minimum detectible change.
02Middle trapezius strength showed the largest total percent loss (13.98%), with most decline occurring in the first half of the season.
03External rotator, internal rotator, middle trapezius, and lower trapezius strength values all decreased, but these changes were not statistically significant.
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 18 pitchers from a single university, limiting generalizability. Pitching volume and specific in-season strength training details were not recorded, so the impact of workload and training on strength loss is unknown. Strength values were absolute and not normalized to body weight. The scaption test may not fully represent supraspinatus strength as measured by other common tests like the empty can.
Declared interests
No conflicts of interest or specific funding sources were declared in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the non-significant decreases in other muscle groups as evidence that strength was maintained. The small sample size and lack of workload data mean these trends should be viewed with caution, and the significant scaption loss is the most reliable finding.