Relationship between stride length and maximal ball velocity in collegiate baseball pitchers.
Osamu Yanagisawa, Hidenori Taniguchi
PMID 32982054WHAT IT FOUND
Longer absolute stride length correlated with higher ball velocity in collegiate pitchers, but stride length relative to height or leg length did not.
Stride length was unrelated to body height, leg length, or hip flexibility. This suggests coaches should not assume a longer stride is better for every pitcher without checking their specific mechanics.
Key findings
01Absolute stride length had a significant, moderate positive correlation with maximal ball velocity.
02Relative stride length (as a percentage of body height, lower extremity length, or maximal open legs' width) showed no significant correlation with maximal ball velocity.
03Stride length was not significantly correlated with the pitcher's body height, lower extremity length, or maximal open legs' width.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The sample size was small (n=18). Participants were all collegiate pitchers, so results may not generalize to professional or youth levels. Pitchers threw from a stretch position, which may produce lower velocities than a wind-up. Hip abduction flexibility was measured, but hip abduction strength was not assessed, despite its potential role in stride length. This is a correlation study, so it cannot prove that changing stride length causes a change in ball velocity.
Declared interests
The authors declared no financial or personal relationships that could bias the work. The study was supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the positive correlation between absolute stride length and velocity as a recommendation to maximize stride length for every pitcher. The study found that relative stride length (normalized to height or leg length) did not correlate with velocity, and stride length was not determined by flexibility or limb length. This implies that the 'optimal' stride length is individual and dependent on the pitcher's ability to transfer energy, not just their size or flexibility.