Pitch Velocity Is a Predictor of Medial Elbow Distraction Forces in the Uninjured High School-Aged Baseball Pitcher

摘要

Background: Medial elbow injuries are common among baseball pitchers. Easily accessed methods to assess medial elbow stress may be useful in identifying individuals with increased injury risk.Hypothesis: Pitch velocity (PV) is positively associated with higher medial elbow adduction moments. Study Design: Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.Methods: Participants included 26 uninjured high school pitchers, 15 to 18 years in age. Three-dimensional data and PV were collected as athletes threw 10 fastballs for strikes to a regulation-distance target. Variables of interest were the normalized peak internal elbow adduction moment and peak PV. Linear regression was performed to evaluate the influence of PV on the adduction moment.Results: For the group, mean PV was 71 mph (range, 58-81 mph), and the adduction moment was 0.558 Nm/Ht x mass (range, 0.378-0.723). PV was positively associated with the adduction moment (P < 0.01, R~2= 0.373).Conclusions: Talented young pitchers may be more susceptible to elbow injuries as a consequence of a biomechanical coupling between PV and upper extremity joint moments.Clinical Relevance: PV may be measured easily and serve as an indicator of medial elbow stress.