Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Harvard Medical School, Boston, 02115, MA.
Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital, Charlestown, MA, 02129.
PM R. 2019 Dec;11(12):1302-1311. doi: 10.1002/pmrj.12135. Epub 2019 May 1.
Softball pitching is a ballistic, complex movement that requires an underhand windmill motion to create force and ball velocity. In addition to proper pitch biomechanics, upper and lower extremity strength and joint motion likely contribute to ball location accuracy and velocity. Yet, the number of studies reporting muscle strength and joint range of motion among softball pitchers is scarce.
To assess differences between throwing and nonthrowing shoulder, elbow, and hip (lead and trail leg) strength and range of motion (ROM) in high school and collegiate level softball windmill pitchers.
Cross-sectional study.
Thirty-three female softball pitchers (24 high school, 9 collegiate) were recruited from local teams.
Goniometric joint ROM and handheld dynamometer strength measurements of the bilateral shoulders, elbows, and hips were measured.
Goniometric joint ROM of the bilateral elbows (flexion, extension), shoulders, and hips (flexion, extension, internal rotation [IR], external rotation [ER]). Handheld dynamometer strength measurements of the bilateral shoulders (flexion, extension, abduction, IR, ER), elbows (flexion, extension), and hips (flexion, extension, IR, ER, abduction).
Across all pitchers, there was greater shoulder flexion ROM in the nonthrowing limb than in the throwing limb (P = .004). There was greater hip extension in the lead leg than trail leg. Among high school pitchers, there was greater shoulder ER (x = 105.792 ± 7.11) than collegiate pitchers (x = 100.1 ± 6.92), P = .05. There was no difference in total arc of shoulder rotational motion (ER+ IR) between throwing and nonthrowing limbs across all pitchers, nor between high school and collegiate pitchers. Strength measures demonstrated greater throwing limb shoulder abduction (P = .006) and IR strength (P = .001) than the nonthrowing shoulder across all pitchers. Elbow flexion strength was significantly greater than the nonthrowing side (P = .001). No difference was noted in hip strength between lead and trail lower extremities.
Developing normative data for softball pitchers upper and lower extremity strength and range of motion may allow providers to assess players more comprehensively and identify athletes out of the expected value range. This information may help in guiding strength and conditioning programs for softball pitchers.
III.
垒球投球是一种弹道复杂的运动，需要进行下手投球的风车动作，以产生力量和球速。除了适当的投球生物力学外，上肢和下肢的力量以及关节运动可能有助于提高球的准确性和速度。然而，报告垒球投手肌肉力量和关节活动范围的研究数量很少。
评估高中和大学垒球风车投手中投球肩、肘和髋（主导和跟随腿）力量以及运动范围（ROM）在投球肩和非投球肩之间的差异。
横断面研究。
从当地球队招募了 33 名女性垒球投手（24 名高中生，9 名大学生）。
使用测角计测量双侧肩部、肘部和髋部的关节 ROM，使用手持测力计测量双侧肩部、肘部和髋部的力量。
双侧肘部（屈曲、伸展）、肩部和髋部（屈曲、伸展、内旋[IR]、外旋[ER]）的双侧关节 ROM。双侧肩部（屈曲、伸展、外展、IR、ER）、肘部（屈曲、伸展）和髋部（屈曲、伸展、IR、ER、外展）的手持测力计力量测量。
在所有投手中，非投球侧的肩部屈曲 ROM 大于投球侧（P=0.004）。主导腿的髋部伸展大于跟随腿。在高中投手中，肩外展的范围（x=105.792±7.11）大于大学生投手（x=100.1±6.92），P=0.05。在所有投手中，投球和非投球侧的肩部旋转运动总弧（ER+IR）之间以及高中生和大学生投手中都没有差异。在所有投手中，投球侧肩部外展（P=0.006）和内旋（P=0.001）的力量明显大于非投球侧。肘部的屈曲力量明显大于非投球侧（P=0.001）。主导和跟随下肢之间的髋关节力量没有差异。
制定垒球投手上肢和下肢力量及运动范围的正常参考值可能使医务人员能够更全面地评估运动员，并确定超出预期值范围的运动员。这些信息可能有助于指导垒球投手的力量和体能训练计划。
III。
