Kinematic and kinetic differences between left-and right-handed professional baseball pitchers

Diffendaffer, Alek Z; Fleisig, Glenn S.; Ivey, Brett; Aune, Kyle T.

doi:10.1080/14763141.2018.1429489

Cited by 8 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…10 –12 Furthermore, unlike other sports, baseball has very different sport characteristics depending on its play position. 13 –15…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[10][11][12] Furthermore, unlike other sports, baseball has very different sport characteristics depending on its play position. [13][14][15] The purpose of this study is to analyze the correlation between YBT scores and ankle injury and assess differences in YBT scores between different baseball positions. We assume that the reference values of YBT will vary depending on the position of the baseball players.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Differences in lower quarter Y-balance test with player position and ankle injuries in professional baseball players

Ryu

Park

Kang

et al. 2019

J Orthop Surg (Hong Kong)

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Although there has been research about the correlation between ankle injury and Y-balance test (YBT) conducted in other sports, there has been a lack of research on the correlation between ankle injury among baseball players and YBT scores or on differences in scores according to baseball positions. This study focused on professional baseball players as its subjects with the aims of analyzing the correlation between YBT and ankle injury and assessing differences in YBT between baseball positions. Methods: Age, height, weight, body mass index, and spine malleolar distance of 42 professional baseball players were measured. YBT measurements were performed using each foot in three distinct directions. YBT normalized reach distances, composite score, and reach asymmetry were analyzed. Results: The mean right posteromedial normalized reach distances for the player positions were significantly different between the pitchers (107.7%) and infielders (113.7%) (p ¼ 0.028). For the composite score, the difference between the pitchers (92.3%) and infielders (95.0%) was statistically significant (p ¼ 0.048). The anterior reach asymmetry was larger in the injured group than in the noninjured group (p ¼ 0.041). Conclusion: This study shows that YBT can be used as a way of evaluating the injury of baseball players. It also shows the reference value of YBT according to position in professional baseball players. This study could be useful for the treatment of ankle injury of baseball players.

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“…10 –12 Furthermore, unlike other sports, baseball has very different sport characteristics depending on its play position. 13 –15…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Differences in lower quarter Y-balance test with player position and ankle injuries in professional baseball players

Ryu

Park

Kang

et al. 2019

J Orthop Surg (Hong Kong)

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Left-handed collegiate and professional pitchers have been noted to have shorter stride widths compared with their right-handed counterparts. 11 Pitch type has also been shown to have varying stride width, with curveballs associated with shorter stride widths relative to fastballs. 12,16 Stride width has also been shown to decrease as pitchers increase in playing level.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Increased Knee and Meniscal Injury Incidence in Professional Baseball Pitchers With Wider, Positive Stride Width

Manzi

Trauger

Quan

et al. 2022

Sports Health: A Multidisciplinary Approach

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Background: Professional baseball pitchers sustain 75% of knee injuries while at the pitcher’s mound, yet no pitching motion has been associated directly with such injuries. Stride width is a potential, modifiable risk factor worth investigating. Hypothesis: Increased stride width in both the positive and negative directions (deviations from neutral stride width) would correlate with increased incidence of knee injury in pitchers. Study Design: Descriptive laboratory. Level of Evidence: Level 5. Methods: Professional pitchers (n = 199) were evaluated with motion capture (480 Hz) while pitching. Injury history over 10 years was recorded at face-to-face interviews with pitchers. Players were subsequently grouped into stride width tertiles, compared for previous injury incidence of the lower extremities. Regressions were performed to observe performance benefits of stride width with ball velocity, accuracy, or consistency in pitch location as secondary outcomes. Results: Of the 40 lower extremity injuries reported, meniscal injury (27.5%) was the most common, followed by foot stress fracture (20.0%). Significant differences in injury incidence were noted between the least and most positive stride width tertiles: lower extremity (10.4% vs 25.8%, respectively; P = 0.03), knee (3.0% vs 15.2%, respectively; P = 0.02), and meniscal (0.0% vs 12.1%; P = 0.00). Stride width of pitchers with meniscal injury in the lead (32.6 ± 7.1 cm, n = 5; P = 0.02) and stance leg (33.5 ± 10.6 cm, n = 5; P = 0.03) was significantly more positive than that of uninjured pitchers (21.1 ± 11.5 cm, n = 164). No significant relationships were established between stride width and ball velocity ( P = 0.54) or pitch location metrics ( P > 0.05). Conclusion: Pitchers with increased positive, stride width had significantly higher incidence of lower extremity injury (knee and meniscus). Wider, positive stride width may increase the degree of external rotation on the lead knee in a loaded state, which can place the medial side of the knee (and meniscus) at higher risk of injury. Clinical Relevance: Decreasing stride width may be beneficial for professional pitchers to reduce the rate of lower extremity injury, while also preserving performance metric outcomes.

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“…An alternative explanation for the higher throwing velocity among right-handed players observed here, and elsewhere, could be that lefties and righties differ in their underlying throwing mechanics. In fact, in an attempt to understand what might be contributing to the disproportionate number of left-handed pitchers, previous research has shown that left- and right-handed pitchers differ significantly in key kinematic parameters both at the collegiate (e.g., Werner et al, 2010) and professional level (Diffendaffer, Fleisig, Ivey, & Aune, 2019). Among professionals, for example, right-handed pitchers show greater landing position of the stride foot, trunk separation at foot contact, maximum shoulder external rotation, and trunk forward tilt at ball release.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Left-hand advantage and the right-sided selection hypothesis.

Gallup¹,

Sleicher²

2021

Evolutionary Behavioral Sciences

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Consistent with the fighting hypothesis, left-handers tend to be overrepresented and more successful in interactive sporting contests, including boxing, mixed martial arts, tennis, volleyball, and baseball. While research in this area has focused primarily on the beneficial features of being left-handed, right-handers that manage to excel in these contexts should possess other superior physical attributes in order to compensate for their inherent disadvantage. We term this the right-sided selection hypothesis. Here, we tested this hypothesis in a sample of over 3,500 top adolescent baseball prospects. Left-and right-handed players were compared on the following two dimensions of performance: throwing velocity and sprinting speed. Overall, results showed mixed support for the right-sided selection hypothesis. Right-handers threw with significantly greater velocity than their left-handed counterparts (p Ͻ .01), but there was no difference in the sprinting performance between these groups. The finding for throwing, although representing a small effect overall (d ϭ 0.14), suggests that the left-hand advantage in interactive sporting contests may select for superiority in other physical dimensions among successful right-sided athletes. Moreover, given the role of male overhand throwing during human evolutionary history, the current findings are consistent with the fighting hypothesis. Public Significance StatementSince left-handed athletes have an advantage in interactive sports, there may be greater competition among the larger pool of right-handed athletes to differentiate themselves. In particular, we predict that, in order to be successful at elite levels, righties need to possess other beneficial traits to overcome their inherent disadvantage. This study provides initial support for this hypothesis and offers directions for future research in this area.

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Kinematic and kinetic differences between left-and right-handed professional baseball pitchers

Cited by 8 publications

References 10 publications

Differences in lower quarter Y-balance test with player position and ankle injuries in professional baseball players

Differences in lower quarter Y-balance test with player position and ankle injuries in professional baseball players

Increased Knee and Meniscal Injury Incidence in Professional Baseball Pitchers With Wider, Positive Stride Width

Left-hand advantage and the right-sided selection hypothesis.

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