Bordelon Nicole M, Gober Peyton, Holtz Kaila A, Plummer Hillary, Downs-Talmage Jessica L, Strunk Kamden K, Zaremski Jason L, Oliver Gretchen D
Sports Medicine & Movement Laboratory, School of Kinesiology, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA.
Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia Vancouver, Canada.
Orthop J Sports Med. 2024 Jul 31;12(7):23259671241257259. doi: 10.1177/23259671241257259. eCollection 2024 Jul.
Research indicates that mechanics differ between athletes with and without upper extremity pain; however, it is unclear which modifiable risk factors exist for throwing-related pain in softball athletes.
To determine whether sport specialization, throwing, practice, and strength and conditioning training volumes vary between youth softball athletes with and without upper extremity pain. It was hypothesized that youth softball athletes with upper extremity pain would participate in softball year-round and have greater throwing, practice, and strength and conditioning volumes compared with those without pain.
Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3.
A total of 232 youth softball athletes from travel ball, middle school, and high school leagues were invited to complete a survey to assess pain, sport specialization, throwing, practice, and strength and conditioning training volumes. Participants were classified into upper extremity pain and no pain groups based on their survey answers. The responses were compared between groups using Mann-Whitney and chi-square tests.
A total of 101 athletes-with a mean ± SD age of 13.3 ± 2.3 years, height of 161 ± 13.4 cm, and weight of 59.8 ± 14.8 kg-completed the survey and were included for analysis. The response rate was 43.53%, with 22 athletes in the upper extremity pain group and 79 athletes in the no pain group. A significant difference was observed between hours devoted per week to off-season softball practice (, 626.6; -2; .045), where those without upper extremity pain spent 4 fewer median hours (6 hours) practicing softball per week in the off-season compared with those with pain (10 hours). Also, a significant difference was found between the number of throws during an in-season game (, 457; , -2.28; = .022), where those without upper extremity pain reported 21 fewer median throws (70 throws) during an in-season game compared with those with pain (91 throws). Furthermore, 77% of those who reported upper extremity pain continued to play despite their pain. There were no other significant differences between demographic characteristics, specialization, injury history, and primary position, as well as throwing, practice, and strength and conditioning volumes.
Our study demonstrates that youth softball athletes with upper extremity pain had more throws during in-season games and increased hours per week devoted to off-season practice than athletes without upper extremity pain. Our findings support the need for softball stakeholders (eg, coaches, clinicians, parents, and administrators) to engage in further research and recommendations regarding in-season pitch counts and off-season rest.
研究表明，有上肢疼痛和无上肢疼痛的运动员在力学方面存在差异；然而，目前尚不清楚垒球运动员中与投掷相关疼痛的可改变风险因素有哪些。
确定有上肢疼痛和无上肢疼痛的青少年垒球运动员在运动专项化、投掷、训练以及力量和体能训练量方面是否存在差异。研究假设是，与无疼痛的青少年垒球运动员相比，有上肢疼痛的青少年垒球运动员全年都参与垒球运动，且投掷、训练以及力量和体能训练量更大。
横断面研究；证据等级为3级。
共邀请了来自巡回赛、中学和高中联赛的232名青少年垒球运动员完成一项调查，以评估疼痛情况、运动专项化、投掷、训练以及力量和体能训练量。根据调查答案将参与者分为上肢疼痛组和无疼痛组。使用曼-惠特尼检验和卡方检验对两组的回答进行比较。
共有101名运动员（平均年龄±标准差为13.3±2.3岁，身高161±13.4厘米，体重59.8±14.8千克）完成了调查并纳入分析。回复率为43.53%，其中上肢疼痛组有22名运动员，无疼痛组有79名运动员。在每周用于淡季垒球训练的时长方面观察到显著差异（U = 626.6；z = -2；P = 0.045），无上肢疼痛的运动员在淡季每周用于垒球训练的中位数时长比有疼痛的运动员少4小时（分别为6小时和10小时）。此外，在赛季内比赛中的投掷次数方面也发现了显著差异（U = 457；z = -2.28；P = 0.022），无上肢疼痛的运动员在赛季内比赛中的中位数投掷次数比有疼痛的运动员少21次（分别为70次和91次）。此外，报告有上肢疼痛的运动员中有77%尽管疼痛仍继续参赛。在人口统计学特征、专项化、受伤史、主要位置以及投掷、训练以及力量和体能训练量方面没有其他显著差异。
我们的研究表明，与无上肢疼痛的运动员相比，有上肢疼痛的青少年垒球运动员在赛季内比赛中的投掷次数更多，且每周用于淡季训练的时长增加。我们的研究结果支持垒球相关利益者（如教练、临床医生、家长和管理人员）需要就赛季内投球次数和淡季休息进行进一步研究并提出建议。
