Characteristics of Baseball Club Members in the Position of the Scapula and the Relationship between the Position of the Scapula and the Strength of External and Internal Rotators

Abstract

Purpose] We studied the characteristics of baseball club members with regard to the position of the scapula and the relationship between the position of the scapula and the strength of external and internal rotators in order to make injury prevention measures from injury for baseball players.[Subjects] The subjects were baseball club members (29 men) and soccer club members (14 men) and ordinary students (12 men) who did not play sports regularly at the Health Science University. [Methods] We evaluated elevation depression and rotation of scapulae of baseball club members and compared their values to those of the soccer club members and the ordinary students who did not play sports regularly at the Health Science University. We then compared strength of external and internal rotators among the three groups based on the position of scapulae: elevated, depressed and intermediate. [Results] The position of scapulae of the baseball club members tended to be depressed compared to the ordinary students. The elevated scapula group tended to have stronger external rotators than the other two groups, but there was no relationship with the rotation of the scapula. [Conclusion] The results suggest that the scapula position in the resting standing position influences the strength of the external rotator. Key words: position of the scapula, strength of external and internal rotators, baseball