Do baseball pitchers improve mechanics after biomechanical evaluations?

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine how often flaws in pitching mechanics identified from biomechanical analysis are corrected. The biomechanics of 46 baseball pitchers were evaluated twice, with an average of 12 months (range 2-48 months) between evaluations. Pitchers were healthy at the time of both evaluations, competing at the high school, college, minor league or Major League level. After warming up, each participant pitched 10 full-effort fastballs. Automated three-dimensional motion analysis was used to compute eight kinematic parameters which were compared with a database of elite professional pitchers. Flaws-defined as deviations from the elite range-were explained to each participant or coach after his initial evaluation. Data from the second evaluation revealed that 44% of all flaws had been corrected. Flaws at the instant of foot contact (stride length, front foot position, shoulder external rotation, shoulder abduction, elbow flexion) or slightly after foot contact (time between pelvis rotation and upper trunk rotation) seemed to be corrected more often than flaws near the time of ball release (knee extension and shoulder abduction). Future research may determine which level athletes or which training methods are most effective for correcting flaws.

Effects of a six-week weighted-implement throwing program on baseball pitching velocity, kinematics, arm stress, and arm range of motion

“…This study is one of only a few that have included training programs, and as such, there is little data to compare. The throwing velocity for our group was comparable to other work, with an average initial pitching velocity of 35.1 ± 1.8 m/s; Fleisig et al (2017a) and Fleisig et al (2017b) had a group of similar amateur pitchers ( n = 25) with an average pitching velocity of 34.2 ± 2.0 m/s. Fleisig et al’s study of underweight and overweight baseball throwing showed variations in arm kinetics, variations in angular velocities, and relatively small changes in body positions.…”

“…Fleisig et al’s study of underweight and overweight baseball throwing showed variations in arm kinetics, variations in angular velocities, and relatively small changes in body positions. These changes could be reflective of reasonable training modalities for pitchers ( Fleisig et al, 2017a ; Fleisig et al, 2017b ).…”

“…In total, 28 kinematic and kinetic measures (11 position, 6 velocity, and 11 kinetic) were calculated using the ISB recommended model of joint coordinate systems ( Wu et al., 2002 ) with code based on Fleisig methods ( Fleisig et al, 2017a ; Fleisig et al, 2017b ) in Visual3D (C-Motion Inc., Germantown, MD, USA). Marker position data was filtered using a 20-Hz fourth-order Butterworth low-pass filter.…”

“…A recent biomechanical study shows that pitching slightly underweight and overweight baseballs can produce variations in kinematics (specifically arm, trunk, pelvis, and shoulder velocities) without increased arm kinetics ( Fleisig et al, 2015 ) and that maximum-effort crow-hop throwing with the same implements can increase shoulder internal rotation angular velocity and elbow varus torque ( Fleisig et al, 2017a ; Fleisig et al, 2017b ). Additionally, there have been indications that weighted-baseball throwing can increase shoulder external rotation in a six-week training period on high school athletes ( Reinold et al, 2004 ).…”

Return to Throwing after Shoulder or Elbow Injury

“…Fleisig has shown that if flaws are identified, there is potential to correct them in both amateur and professional athletes. Flaws earlier in the motion near front foot contact have a better chance of being corrected than flaws later in the motion near the time of ball release [35]. …”