A Comparison of Throwing Arm Kinetics and Ball Velocity in Professional Baseball Pitchers with the Fastest Maximum Joint and Segment Velocities

Joseph E Manzi; Matthew Fury; Brittany Dowling; Jennifer Estrada; Kathryn McElheny; James B Carr; Joshua S Dines

doi:10.1016/j.jse.2024.10.009

A Comparison of Throwing Arm Kinetics and Ball Velocity in Professional Baseball Pitchers with the Fastest Maximum Joint and Segment Velocities

J Shoulder Elbow Surg. 2024 Dec 16:S1058-2746(24)00927-3. doi: 10.1016/j.jse.2024.10.009. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Joseph E Manzi¹, Matthew Fury², Brittany Dowling³, Jennifer Estrada², Kathryn McElheny², James B Carr⁴, Joshua S Dines²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Lenox Hill, New York, NY, USA.
² Sports Medicine Institute, Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, NY, USA.
³ Midwest Orthopaedics at Rush, Chicago, IL, USA.
⁴ Sports Medicine Institute Hospital for Special Surgery, West Palm Beach, FL, USA.

PMID: 39694228
DOI: 10.1016/j.jse.2024.10.009

Abstract

Background: Significant associations have been established among individual maximum joint and segment velocities with throwing arm kinetics and ball velocity in baseball.

Purpose: Investigate how pitches with the fastest maximum joint and segment velocities, in both ideal and non-ideal sequence order, may impact ball velocity and throwing arm kinetics in professional baseball pitchers.

Methods: Professional(n=338) pitchers threw 8-12 fastball pitches while evaluated with 3D-motion capture (480 Hz). Pitches (ideal and non-ideal sequence order) were classified as 'High Velocity' for each segment/joint velocity subcategory or 'Population' with any pitch eligible for inclusion in multiple subcategories. Kinematic and kinetic parameters were compared among subgroups with post-hoc regression analysis.

Results: Population pitches in ideal sequence order (pitches: 71, pitchers:19) had significantly faster ball velocity than Population pitches in non-ideal order (pitches: 3685, pitchers: 338) (39.0±1.5 vs. 38.2±2.2m/s respectively, p<0.001). Irrespective of sequence, the Lead knee extension velocity subgroup had faster ball velocity (38.9±1.8ms), compared to Population (38.2±2.2m/s) (p<0.001, d=0.4). For non-ideal sequence pitches, for every 1091°/s increase in maximum shoulder internal rotation velocity, shoulder superior force increased by 3.67%Body Weight (BW). Pitches in ideal order, for every 1414°/s in maximum shoulder internal rotation velocity, there was an increase in shoulder superior force by 4.29%BW, elbow medial force by 5.33%BW, and elbow distractive force by 9.33%BW.

Conclusion: Proper sequence order plays an important role in maximizing ball velocity with minimal implications for throwing arm kinetics. When throwing non-ideal sequence, increasing maximum lead knee extension velocity positively impacts ball velocity, while increasing other velocities has negative implications on throwing arm kinetics.

Keywords: biomechanics; elbow varus torque; fastball; kinematics; motion-capture.