College Baseball Pitchers Have Increased Glenohumeral External Rotation and Total-Arc Range of Motion Compared to Non-Pitchers

An abstract of a study by Wilkins et al determining differences in shoulder rotational range of motion (ROM) between pitchers and non-pitchers, and investigating how time spent participating in baseball influences ROM in these athletes is presented. Pitchers demonstrated significantly greater domina...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of athletic training Vol. 52; no. 6; p. S270
Main Authors Wilkins, S J, Rosen, A B, McGrath, M L
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Dallas National Athletic Trainers Association 01.06.2017
Subjects
Baseball
Data Analysis
Outcome Measures
Range of motion
Shoulder
Team Sports
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Summary:An abstract of a study by Wilkins et al determining differences in shoulder rotational range of motion (ROM) between pitchers and non-pitchers, and investigating how time spent participating in baseball influences ROM in these athletes is presented. Pitchers demonstrated significantly greater dominant (DOM) arm ROM compared to non-pitchers and a larger disparity between DOM and non-dominant total arc ROM. The study supports prior research that ROM adaptations are not necessarily pathologic, and may actually be important for performance based on a player's position. However, non-pitchers reported beginning their baseball careers almost 2 years earlier compared to pitchers. This may indicate that length of time participating in baseball may have less influence on ROM adaptations than throwing volume and generated forces at the glenohumeral joint, which are both greater in pitchers. Clinicians can use this data to better understand the specific ROM changes observed in healthy collegiate baseball pitchers and non-pitchers.
ISSN:1062-6050
1938-162X