Catch Pitching Injuries before They Start

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Catch Pitching Injuries before They Start

The mechanics of baseball pitching have been described as a "sequential activation of body parts through a link segment, beginning with the contralateral foot and progressing through the trunk to the rapidly accelerating upper extremity." Improper mechanics that alter this complex chain of events can place the soft tissues in the leg, shoulder and elbow at high risk for injury.

Overhand throwing requires contributions from and interaction between all limb segments. Most previous investigations have concentrated on the throwing arm itself, yet poor mechanics at the arm may actually originate in the lower extremities. Forces sustained by both the push-off and landing legs were measured in seven baseball pitchers (six collegiate and one high-school-level) using force plates. Full body kinematics were simultaneously videore-corded to correlate phases in the pitching cycle with the force data.

Pitchers were found to generate shear forces of 0.35 body weight in the direction of the pitch with the push-off leg, and to resist forces of 0.72 body weight with the landing leg. Wrist velocity was found to correlate with increased leg drive. This study validates the clinical impression that the lower extremity is an important contributor to the throwing motion. Exercises that strengthen the upper and lower extremities may help avoid injury and enhance performance.

MacWilliams BA, Choi T, et al. Characteristic ground-reaction forces in baseball pitching. American Journal of Sports Medicine, 1998;26(1), pp66-71.