The Effect of Age on Elbow Range of Motion in Pitchers

• Published in: Physical therapy in sport Vol. 22; pp. 23 - 28
• Main Authors: Wang, Yu-Lin, Chang, Hsiao-Yun, Cheng, Shih-Chung, Liu, Chiang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2016; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Adolescent; Age; Age Factors; Baseball; Baseball - physiology; Biomechanical Phenomena; Conflicts of interest; Elbow; Elbow injury; Elbow Joint - injuries; Elbow Joint - physiology; Fitness training programs; Flexibility; Humans; Joint surgery; Male; Muscle Stretching Exercises; Overhead throwing; Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation; Physical therapy; Professional baseball; Range of Motion, Articular - physiology; Reproducibility of Results; Review boards; Sports injuries; Sports Medicine; Weightlifting; Young Adult; Taiwan; Baseball; Flexibility; Overhead throwing; Adolescent; Elbow Injury; Elbow injury
• ISSN: 1466-853X; 1873-1600
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ptsp.2016.05.005

Abstract Background Alteration of elbow range of motion (ROM) has been observed in baseball pitchers. This study aims to compare dominant elbow ROM between early-puberty, late-puberty, and young-adult pitchers. Methods We recruited 62 pitchers, consisting of 17 early-puberty (mean age 13.1 years old), 22 late-puberty (mean age 17.7 years old), and 23 young-adult players (mean age 19.4 years old). Dominant elbow ROMs were measured. One-way ANOVA was used to compare the differences in elbow ROM variables between 3 groups. Results Late-puberty pitchers exhibited a significantly lower elbow hyperextension and flexion than early-puberty or young-adult pitchers (P<.05). Valgus angle was significantly lower in young-adult (7.7°±5.5°) versus early-puberty (12.1°±2.3°) and late-puberty pitchers (13.0°±4.1°; P<0.05). Young-adult pitchers had the largest forearm supination range (101.2°±18.1°), followed by early-puberty (82.5°±6.5°; P<.05) and late-puberty pitchers (70.6°±15.8°). Elbow flexion-hyperextension total range was smallest in late-puberty pitchers (130.3°±7.4°), followed by young-adult (142.6°±9.3°) and early-puberty pitchers (144.6°±8.3°; P<.05). Forearm pronation-supination total range was also smallest in late-puberty pitchers (142.0°±20.3°), followed by early-puberty (159.8°±9.5°) and young-adult pitchers (177.2°±20.8°; P<.05). Conclusions These results indicate that careful monitoring of the elbow and forearm range of motion should be undertaken in adolescent baseball pitchers to prevent and or minimize injury risk.