
Comparison of Glenohumeral and Scapulothoracic Kinematics Between Fastballs and Curveballs During Baseball Pitching
The purpose of the study is to compare scapulothoracic and glenohumeral kinematics between fastballs and curveballs during baseball pitching. 14 Division III pitchers participated in this study. Subjects had motion capture markers attached to their trunk and upper extremity, and subjects threw five fastballs and five curveballs while being recorded with motion capture. After pitching, subjects used real-time visual feedback to statically recreate six arm postures achieved during their fastest pitch. Scapular orientation was palpated and recorded at these postures, and linear model algorithms were created that estimated scapular orientation throughout the entire pitch. Scapulothoracic and glenohumeral kinematics between fastballs and curveballs were compared using paired t-tests and Bonferroni corrections to check for significant differences (p < 0.05). Out of 34 kinematic parameters, only glenohumeral internal rotation at ball release was found to be significantly different between fastballs and curveballs (p = 0.015). These results agree with previous research that found few significant differences between humerothoracic kinematics between fastballs and curveballs. The results of this study also agree with previous literature that has found that curveballs may not be more harmful to collegiate pitchers than fastballs. This study could be the first to report scapulothoracic and glenohumeral kinematic differences between pitch types, and future research could help baseball teams identify injury risks, optimize performance, and improve injury rehabilitation strategies for their pitchers.
Files
Penn State Only
Files are only accessible to users logged-in with a Penn State Access ID.
Metadata
Work Title | Comparison of Glenohumeral and Scapulothoracic Kinematics Between Fastballs and Curveballs During Baseball Pitching |
---|---|
Access | |
Creators |
|
License | In Copyright (Rights Reserved) |
Work Type | Poster |
Publication Date | 2022 |
DOI | doi:10.26207/vqyr-xd90 |
Deposited | May 23, 2023 |