Characteristics of physical functions of junior high school baseball players with throwing pain: Evaluation using a simplified functional test

Abstract

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to clarify the characteristics of physical functions of adolescent baseball players with throwing pain using a simplified functional test. [Participants and Methods] Twenty-seven male junior high school students enrolled in the baseball club of a junior high school participated in this study. The participants were divided into two groups depending on whether or not they had throwing pain. The components of the simplified functional test were: the Shoulder Mobility Test, Finger Floor Distance, Heel Buttock Distance (HBD), Hip Internal Rotation Test, Deep Squat, Single Leg Standing, Forward Bend, Forward Bench, and Side Bench. [Results] In the throwing pain group, significantly more subjects were judged positive for HBD, the Hip Internal Rotation Test, and Forward Bend compared with the no pain group. [Conclusion] The results suggest that those with throwing pain had lower flexibility of the quadriceps femoris, hip internal rotation range of motion, and dynamic balance ability.