Shoulder and Elbow Range of Motion Can Be Maintained in Major League Baseball Pitchers Over the Course of the Season, Regardless of Pitching Workload

McGraw, Michael; Vrla, Michael; Wang, Dean; Camp, Christopher L.; Zajac, John M.; Pearson, Dave; Sinatro, Alec; Dines, Joshua S.; Coleman, Struan H.

doi:10.1177/2325967118825066

Cited by 8 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Discrepancies between results of the current study and previous studies may be attributed to the different testing protocol positions. Shoulder ROM adaptations, increase in ER and increase/maintenance in IR, over the course of the season were comparable to the adaptations seen in previous studies [25,45,46]. Literature has shown that a side-to-side difference of 5 ° or more in TAM between the throwing and non-throwing arm may place athletes at increased risk of injury [20,22].…”

Section: Shouldersupporting

confidence: 80%

Influence of a Pre-throwing Protocol on Range of Motion and Strength in Baseball Athletes

2020

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Though chronic overhand throwing is known to result in range of motion and strength adaptations, there is limited research regarding interventions for maintenance of these characteristics. Therefore, the purposes of this study were to explore the use of a pre-throwing protocol focusing on lumbopelvic-hip complex musculature in high school baseball players and examine its effects on shoulder and hip range of motion and isometric strength over the course of a season. Four exercises were added to the intervention team’s warm-up routine. The control and intervention teams’ passive bilateral hip and shoulder range of motion and isometric strength were assessed pre/post-season. A multivariate analysis of variance revealed significant differences in delta scores between the teams for multiple shoulder and hip range of motion and isometric strength variables. Key results were the intervention team lost significantly more stride hip external rotation but gained more isometric strength than the control team. The intervention team was also able to better maintain shoulder range of motion than the control team. Practitioners should use the results of this study and consider incorporating exercises that target lumbopelvic-hip complex musculature into their current training program.

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Section: Shouldersupporting

confidence: 80%

Influence of a Pre-throwing Protocol on Range of Motion and Strength in Baseball Athletes

2020

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“…Such programs included manual soft tissue release and stretching of the posterior rotator cuff, manual soft tissue release of anterior musculature (pectoralis minor/ major), and a thoracic ROM program. 21 Cross-body stretching was utilized in the players in this study as a treatment strategy to maintain acceptable shoulder IR and humeral adduction (see the Appendix, available in the online version of this article).…”

Section: Arm Care Protocolmentioning

confidence: 99%

Upper Extremity and Hip Range of Motion Changes Throughout a Season in Professional Baseball Players

Chan

Zajac²,

Erickson

et al. 2019

Am J Sports Med

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Background: Loss of upper and lower extremity range of motion (ROM) is a significant risk factor for injuries in professional baseball players. Purpose/Hypothesis: The purpose was to determine changes in ROM in professional baseball players over the course of a single season and their careers. We hypothesized that pitchers and position players would lose ROM, specifically total shoulder motion (total ROM [TROM]) and hip internal rotation (IR), over the course of a season and their careers. Study Design: Case series; Level of evidence, 4. Methods: Upper and lower extremity ROM measurements were recorded during pre-, mid-, and postseason on all professional baseball players for a single organization between 2011 and 2018. ROM measurements were compared for pitchers and position players over the course of the season and their careers. Also, ROM measurements over the pre-, mid-, and postseason were compared between pitchers and position players. Results: A total of 166 professional baseball players (98 pitchers, 68 position players) were included. Pitcher hip external rotation (ER; P < .001), IR ( P = .010), and TROM ( P < .001) for lead and trail legs decreased over the course of the season. Pitcher shoulder ER ( P = .005), TROM ( P = .042), and horizontal adduction ( P < .001) significantly increased over the course of the season. Position player shoulder flexion ( P = .046), hip ER ( P < .001, lead leg; P < .001, trail leg), and hip TROM ( P = .001; P = .002) decreased over the course of the season. Position player shoulder ER ( P = .031) and humeral adduction ( P < .001) significantly increased over the course of the season. Over the course of pitchers’ careers, there was decreased shoulder IR ( P = .014), increased shoulder horizontal adduction ( P < .001), and hip IR ( P = .042) and hip TROM ( P = .027) for the lead leg. Position players experienced loss of hip TROM ( P = .010, lead leg; P = .018, trail leg) over the course of their careers. Pitchers started with and maintained more shoulder ER and gained more shoulder TROM over a season as compared with position players. Conclusion: Pitchers and position players saw overall decreases in hip ROM but increases in shoulder ROM over the course of the season and career.

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“…2 A similar noted increase in HAdd ranging between 15.7° and 17.5° in professional baseball players from pre to post-intervention. 35,36 While Chan et al 35 did not provide an intervention, all players participated in posterior shoulder stretching drills which may have accounted for their observations. McGraw et al 36 provided a stretching and mobilization intervention, but only for athletes that exhibited a deficit in ER, IR, or HAdd in their throwing arm compared to their non-throwing arm.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…35,36 While Chan et al 35 did not provide an intervention, all players participated in posterior shoulder stretching drills which may have accounted for their observations. McGraw et al 36 provided a stretching and mobilization intervention, but only for athletes that exhibited a deficit in ER, IR, or HAdd in their throwing arm compared to their non-throwing arm. The current intervention similarly included soft tissue mobilization of the posterior shoulder musculature with a lacrosse ball or Theragun (Therabody, Los Angeles, CA), as well as cross-body stretching, yet increases in Hadd were less than half that of previous literature.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Effectiveness of a Shoulder Exercise Program in Division I Collegiate Baseball Players During the Fall Season

Plummer

Plosser

Diaz

et al. 2022

International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy

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Background Deficits in shoulder range of motion (ROM) and strength are associated with risk of arm injury in baseball players. Purpose The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of a standardized exercise program, during the fall season, on shoulder ROM and rotational strength in collegiate baseball players. Study Design Prospective cohort study Methods Passive shoulder internal rotation (IR), external rotation (ER), and horizontal adduction ROM were measured with an inclinometer. Shoulder IR and ER strength was assessed using a hand-held dynamometer and normalized to body weight. Players performed a program of shoulder stretching and strengthening exercises, three times/week for one month and then one time/week for two months. Paired sample t-tests compared pre-intervention to post-intervention outcome measures. Results Division I baseball players (n=43; 19.6±1.2years, 185.8±5.5cm, 90.5±7.0kg) volunteered. From pre- to post-intervention, there were increases in horizontal adduction ROM in the throwing (Mean Difference (MD)=6.1°, 95%CI=3.7,8.5; p<0.001) and non-throwing arm (MD=8.0°, 95%CI=5.6,10.3; p<0.001), and a decrease in non-throwing arm ER ROM (MD=2.8°, 95%CI= 0.2,5.5; p=0.039). The ER ROM surplus (throwing – non-throwing) increased (MD=5.6°, 95%CI= 1.1,10.2; p=0.016). Throwing arm (MD=1.3%BW, 95%CI=0.5-2.1, p=0.003) and non-throwing arm (MD=1.2%BW, 95%CI=0.4,2.0; p=0.004) ER strength decreased. A notable, but non-significant increase in IR strength on the throwing arm (MD=1.6%BW, 95%CI=0.1,3.0; p=0.055) and decrease on the non-throwing arm (MD=1.2%BW, 95%CI=0.0,2.4; p=0.055) occurred. Additionally, throwing arm ER:IR strength ratio (MD=0.16, 95%CI=0.08,0.25; p<0.001) also decreased. Conclusion Changes in shoulder horizontal adduction ROM, IR strength and relative ER surplus on the throwing arm were noted at the end of the season. The lack of change in IR and ER ROM and may be related to the lack of deficits at the start of the fall season. Level of Evidence 2.

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Shoulder and Elbow Range of Motion Can Be Maintained in Major League Baseball Pitchers Over the Course of the Season, Regardless of Pitching Workload

Cited by 8 publications

References 22 publications

Influence of a Pre-throwing Protocol on Range of Motion and Strength in Baseball Athletes

Influence of a Pre-throwing Protocol on Range of Motion and Strength in Baseball Athletes

Upper Extremity and Hip Range of Motion Changes Throughout a Season in Professional Baseball Players

Effectiveness of a Shoulder Exercise Program in Division I Collegiate Baseball Players During the Fall Season

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