Institute of Physical Education, Health & Leisure Studies, National Cheng Kung University, 1 University Rd, Tainan 701, Taiwan.
Hum Mov Sci. 2013 Aug;32(4):719-29. doi: 10.1016/j.humov.2013.01.003. Epub 2013 Jun 10.
Previous research on baseball pitchers' wrists, elbows, and should joints contributes to our understanding of pitchers' control over delicate joint motion and ball release. However, limited research on forearm, wrist, and hand joints prevents full comprehension of the throwing mechanism. The present descriptive laboratory study quantifies angular performances of hand and wrist joints while pitching breaking balls, including fastballs, curveballs and sliders, among pitchers with different skill levels. Nineteen baseball pitchers performed required pitching tasks (10 from university and 9 from high school). A three-dimensional motion analysis system collected pitching motion data. The range of joint motion in the wrist and proximal interphalangeal (PIP) and metacarpophalangeal (MP) joints of the index and middle fingers were compared among fastballs, curveballs and sliders. Thirteen reflective markers were placed on selected anatomic landmarks of the wrist, middle and index fingers of the hand. Wrist flexion angle in the pitching acceleration phase was larger in fastballs (20.58±4.07°) and sliders (22.48±5.45°) than in curveballs (9.08±3.03°) (p = .001). The flexion angle of the PIP joint was significantly larger in curveballs (38.5±3.8°) than in fastballs (30.3±4.8°) and sliders (30.2±4.5°) (p=.004) of the middle finger. Abduction angle of MP joint on the middle finger was significantly larger in curveballs (15.4 ±3.6°) than in fastballs (8.9±1.2°) and sliders (6.9±2.9°) (p=.001) of the middle finger, and the abduction angle of index finger was significantly larger in sliders (13.5±15.0°) than in fastballs (7.2 ±2.8°) (p=.007). Hand and wrist motion and grip types affect the relative position between fingers and ball, which produces different types of baseball pitches. A larger extension angle of the wrist joint and the coordination of middle and index fingers are crucial when pitching a fastball. Abduction and flexion movement on the MP joint of the middle finger are important for a curveball. MP joint abduction and flexion movement of the index finger produce sliders. Understanding the control mechanism in a throwing hand can help improve training protocols in either injury prevention or performance improvement for baseball pitchers.
先前关于棒球投手手腕、肘部和肩部关节的研究有助于我们理解投手对精细关节运动和投球释放的控制。然而，对手臂、手腕和手部关节的有限研究妨碍了对投掷机制的全面理解。本研究采用描述性实验室方法，量化了不同技术水平的投手在投球时，包括投快速球、曲线球和滑球时，手部和手腕关节的角度表现。19 名棒球投手完成了要求的投球任务（10 名来自大学，9 名来自高中）。一个三维运动分析系统收集了投球动作数据。比较了快速球、曲线球和滑球中手腕和近端指间（PIP）和掌指（MP）关节的中、食指的关节运动范围。在手部的手腕、中指和食指的选定解剖标志上放置了 13 个反光标记。在投球加速阶段，手腕的屈曲角度在快速球（20.58±4.07°）和滑球（22.48±5.45°）中大于曲线球（9.08±3.03°）（p=.001）。在中指的 PIP 关节的屈曲角度在曲线球（38.5±3.8°）中明显大于快速球（30.3±4.8°）和滑球（30.2±4.5°）（p=.004）。在中指的 MP 关节的外展角度在曲线球（15.4 ±3.6°）中明显大于快速球（8.9±1.2°）和滑球（6.9±2.9°）（p=.001），食指的外展角度在滑球（13.5±15.0°）中明显大于快速球（7.2±2.8°）（p=.007）。手和手腕的运动和握法类型会影响手指和球之间的相对位置，从而产生不同类型的棒球投球。投快速球时，手腕关节的伸展角度较大，中、食指的协调性很重要。中指 MP 关节的外展和弯曲运动对曲线球很重要。食指 MP 关节的外展和弯曲运动产生滑球。了解投掷手的控制机制有助于改善棒球投手的训练方案，无论是预防受伤还是提高表现。
