Segmental Power Analysis of Sequential Body Motion and Elbow Valgus Loading During Baseball Pitching: Comparison Between Professional and High School Baseball Players

Abstract

Background: Pitching-related elbow injuries remain prevalent across all levels of baseball. Elbow valgus torque has been identified as a modifiable risk factor of injuries to the ulnar collateral ligament in skeletally mature pitchers. Purpose: To examine how segmental energy flow (power) influences elbow valgus torque and ball speed in professional versus high school baseball pitchers. Study Design: Descriptive laboratory study. Methods: A total of 16 professional pitchers (mean age, 21.9 ± 3.6 years) and 15 high school pitchers (mean age, 15.5 ± 1.1 years) participated in marker-based motion analysis of baseball pitching. Ball speed, maximum elbow valgus torque (MEV), temporal parameters, and mechanical power of the trunk, upper arm, and forearm were collected and compared using parametric statistical methods. Results: Professional pitchers threw with a higher ball speed (36.3 ± 2.9 m/s) compared with high school pitchers (30.4 ± 3.5 m/s) (P =.001), and MEV was greater in professional pitchers (71.3 ± 20.0 N·m) than in high school pitchers (50.7 ± 14.6 N·m) (P =.003). No significant difference in normalized MEV was found between groups (P =.497). Trunk rotation time, trunk power, and upper arm power combined to predict MEV (r = 0.823, P