Matta Philip A, Myers Joseph B, Sawicki Gregory S
Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, North Carolina State University and University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Raleigh, North Carolina.
Department of Exercise and Sport Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.
Sports Health. 2015 Mar;7(2):154-60. doi: 10.1177/1941738113498209.
Altering the weight of baseballs for youth play has been studied out of concern for player safety. Research has shown that decreasing the weight of baseballs may limit the severity of both chronic arm and collision injuries. Unfortunately, reducing the weight of the ball also increases its exit velocity, leaving pitchers and nonpitchers with less time to defend themselves. The purpose of this study was to examine impact probability for pitchers and nonpitchers.
Reducing the available time to respond by 10% (expected from reducing ball weight from 142 g to 113 g) would increase impact probability for pitchers and nonpitchers, and players' mean simple response time would be a primary predictor of impact probability for all participants.
Nineteen subjects between the ages of 9 and 13 years performed 3 experiments in a controlled laboratory setting: a simple response time test, an avoidance response time test, and a pitching response time test.
Each subject performed these tests in order. The simple reaction time test tested the subjects' mean simple response time, the avoidance reaction time test tested the subjects' ability to avoid a simulated batted ball as a fielder, and the pitching reaction time test tested the subjects' ability to avoid a simulated batted ball as a pitcher.
Reducing the weight of a standard baseball from 142 g to 113 g led to a less than 5% increase in impact probability for nonpitchers. However, the results indicate that the impact probability for pitchers could increase by more than 25%.
Pitching may greatly increase the amount of time needed to react and defend oneself from a batted ball.
Impact injuries to youth baseball players may increase if a 113-g ball is used.
出于对球员安全的担忧，人们对改变青少年棒球比赛用球的重量进行了研究。研究表明，减轻棒球重量可能会降低慢性手臂损伤和碰撞损伤的严重程度。不幸的是，减轻球的重量也会提高其出射速度，这使得投手和非投手的防御时间减少。本研究的目的是检验投手和非投手的受击概率。
将反应可用时间减少10%（预计通过将球的重量从142克减至113克实现）会增加投手和非投手的受击概率，并且球员的平均简单反应时间将是所有参与者受击概率的主要预测指标。
19名年龄在9至13岁之间的受试者在受控实验室环境中进行了3项实验：简单反应时间测试、回避反应时间测试和投球反应时间测试。
每个受试者按顺序进行这些测试。简单反应时间测试检验受试者的平均简单反应时间，回避反应时间测试检验受试者作为外野手避免模拟击出球的能力，投球反应时间测试检验受试者作为投手避免模拟击出球的能力。
将标准棒球的重量从142克减至113克，非投手的受击概率增加不到5%。然而，结果表明，投手的受击概率可能增加超过25%。
投球可能会大大增加对击出球做出反应和自我防御所需的时间。
如果使用113克的球，青少年棒球运动员的撞击伤可能会增加。
