Should Youth Pitchers Use Lightweight Baseballs?

Because youth pitchers are smaller and weaker than adults, smaller equipment and fields are often used in youth sports, The purpose of this study was to determine potential biomechanical benefits for youth pitchers to use lighter baseballs. >>more

Interval throwing program

Flat ground throwing and partial effort pitching are often used in rehabilitation programs like the "Interval Throwing Program." The purpose of these programs is to reinforce proper mechanics while systematically increasing joint loads. >>more

Flat-ground throwing

While pitchers throw from a mound, all other players throw from flat ground. To identify differences between these throws, 27 college pitchers were tested throwing from flat ground (60, 120, 180 ft) and pitching from a mound (60.5 ft). The crow-hop technique (similar to an outfielder's throwing motion) was used for all flat ground throws. >>more

Biomechanical comparison between baseball pitching and football passing 

The throwing motions of 26 high school (n=13) and college (n=13) quarterbacks, and 26 high school (n=13) and college (n=13) pitchers were studied. Throwing motions were recorded using four synchronized, high-speed (200 Hz) infrared cameras and digitized to form a three-dimensional model. >>more

Biomechanical comparison of baseball pitching among various levels of development 

Researchers from ASMI teamed up with Dr. Rafael F. Escamilla of Duke Sports Medicine to investigate the pitching motion at different levels of competition. 231 pitchers were subjects in the study: youth pitchers (n=23), high school pitchers (n=33), college pitchers (n=115), and professional pitchers (n=60). >>more

Kinetic comparison of various types of pitches

Training pitchers with overweight and underweight baseballs

A review was conducted to determine how throwing overweight and underweight baseballs affects baseball throwing velocity and accuracy. Two studies were found that examined how warming up with overweight baseballs affected throwing velocity and accuracy of 5 oz regulation baseballs. >>more

Improper pitching mechanics lead to increased loads on the elbow and shoulder

Proper pitching mechanics are believed to help minimize the risk of injury. Conversely, improper mechanics are believed to increase the force and torque on the shoulder and elbow and therefore increase the risk of injury.  >>more

Changes in baseball pitching biomechanics during a game

A common interest of coaches and sports medicine clinicians is the effect of fatigue on pitching mechanics. This interest is based on the belief that changes in pitching mechanics may decrease performance and increase the risk of injury. >>more

Biomechanics of shoulder injuries during throwing (Pathomechanics) 

The shoulder complex is the most mobile joint in the human body. The stability of the joint provides support to the arm and allows the hand to perform certain tasks. The mobility of the joint allows the hand to reach greater area. >>more

Biomechanics of elbow injuries during throwing (Pathomechanics)

Elbow injuries in pitchers can be divided into three types, based upon their location within the joint. All three types of elbow injuries are related to the large rotational force - called "torque" - needed to slow down the cocking of the arm and accelerate the forearm, hand, and ball forward. Elbow torque is greatest when the arm is in its maximum cocked position. >>more

Comparisons between American and Korean professional baseball pitchers

Researchers from ASMI studied kinematic (velocities and angles), kinetic (forces and torques), and temporal (timing) differences between 11 American and 8 Korean professional baseball pitchers. These 19 healthy pitchers threw fastball pitches from an indoor mound toward a home plate, which was placed 18.4m (regulation distance) away. >>more

Relationship between bat mass properties and bat velocity

17 male collegiate baseball players and 17 female collegiate softball players were studied swinging aluminum bats, some of which were altered to create different moments of inertia (MOI). The swings were recorded by a high speed (200 frames per second) three-dimensional motion analysis system and digitized. >>more

Effect of pitch type, pitch count, and pitching mechanics on risk of elbow and shoulder pain in youth baseball pitchers

Researchers from ASMI and the American Baseball Foundation (ABF) followed 476 baseball pitchers ages 9-14 for one season in the spring of 1999. Data was collected from the pitchers using pre-season and postseason questionnaires, injury and performance interviews following each game, pitch count logs, and video analysis of pitching mechanics. >>more

Comparison of high velocity and low velocity pitch deliveries

In two published studies, Dr. Glenn Fleisig and Dr. James R. Andrews from ASMI worked with other researchers in studying many of the parameters that affect baseball pitch velocity. Motions during delivery were analyzed using a high speed (200 frames per second) infrared three-dimensional motion analysis system. >>more

Comparisons of 1996 Olympic baseball pitchers from eight countries

48 pitchers from Australia, Japan, the Netherlands, Cuba, Italy, Korea, Nicaragua, and the United States were filmed using two high-speed (120 Hz) cameras during competition. The pitchers’ motions were digitized and their data was compared to reveal kinematic (angle and velocity) differences. >>more

Kinematic factors related to maximal ball speed

It is generally believed that pitchers with good mechanics throw harder than pitchers with poor mechanics. To test this hypothesis, the kinematics of 134 healthy adult subjects were studied. This study showed that approximately 50% of difference in ball speed between pitchers can be explained by looking at pitching mechanics. >>more

Shoulder abduction and lateral trunk tilt influence the peak elbow varus torque during pitching

Varus torque is a primary factor in the risk of elbow injury during pitching and it was hypothesized that varus torque may be affected by shoulder abduction angle and lateral trunk tilt angle. Motion data of 33 healthy, college baseball pitchers were collected at ASMI and used for computer simulation in which shoulder abduction and lateral trunk tilt angles were systematically altered from the actual movement. For each pitcher, 42 simulated motions were generated and the peak elbow varus torque for each motion was calculated. >>more

Relationship of biomechanical factors to baseball pitching velocity: within pitcher variation

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between fastball velocity and variations in throwing mechanics within individual pitchers. 19 healthy, male baseball pitchers participated in the study. Pitchers were required to throw at least 33.5 m/s (75 mph) and have at least 1.8 m/s (4mph) of variation in ball velocity among their maximal effort pitch trials. Three separate mixed model analyses were performed to assess the independent effects of 7 kinetic parameters, 11 temporal parameters, and 12 kinematic parameters on pitched ball velocity. >>more

Through biomechanical research, ASMI studies motions and forces produced during sports and exercise. While data are sometimes collected out in the field, most of the research is conducted in ASMI's James R. Andrews Biomechanics Lab. Some of the features of the lab include a 10' x 8' force plate pit and underground cabling between cameras and computers.

Copyright © 2000, American Sports Medicine Institute
January 30, 2008