Pediatric Baseball Pitchers Exhibit Scapular Position Changes on the Pitching Side After a Single Game

Pediatric Baseball Pitchers Exhibit Scapular Position Changes on the Pitching Side After a Single Game

Keisuke Tsukada, MD, PhD., JAPAN Youichi Yasui, MD, PhD, JAPAN Jun Sasahara, MD, PhD, JAPAN Hironari Masuda, PhD, JAPAN Takumi Nakagawa, MD, PhD, JAPAN Hirotaka Kawano, Prof, JAPAN Wataru Miyamoto, MD, JAPAN

Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Teikyo University School of Medicine, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, JAPAN


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Patient Populations

Anatomic Location

Anatomic Structure


Summary: This study found that increased pitch counts during a single appearance significantly lowered scapular position and decreased pitch performance in pediatric baseball pitchers, with those having a history of elbow injury showing even lower scapular positions.


【INTRODUCTION】
Pediatric baseball pitchers have underdeveloped musculoskeletal systems, making them less resilient to repetitive pitching stress. Thus, increased pitch counts are directly linked to shoulder and elbow injuries, emphasizing pitch count management. Scapular position abnormalities are implicated in pitching injuries. Our previous research on high school baseball pitchers found lower scapular positions on the pitching side in those with injury histories. Therefore, in pediatric baseball pitchers, increased pitch counts may easily change scapular positions, though this is not yet confirmed for a single appearance.
The purpose of this study is to determine the effect of increased pitch count on scapular position in pediatric baseball pitchers during a single appearance.
【METHODS】
This study was conducted from January to December 2023 with 15 youth baseball pitchers (5th and 6th grade) at MPI Tokyo, located in Teikyo University Sports Science and Medicine. Exclusion criteria included a history of shoulder/elbow surgery or pain and recent sports injury. Data collected included height, weight, baseball experience, pitching experience, pitching arm, style, and injury history. Pitching data (velocity, spin rate, gyro angle) were measured using Rapsodo PITCHING. Physical data (scapular position asymmetry, Borg Scale, upper limb fatigue/tightness VAS, finger pinch strength, muscle stiffness) were measured before pitching and every 10 pitches. Each pitcher threw 70 fastballs from 16 meters using approved softballs. Data were analyzed using R (version 4.3.0) and a linear mixed model.
【RESULTS】
Increased pitch counts significantly lowered scapular position on the pitching side and decreased pitch velocity and spin rate (p<0.05). Upper limb fatigue, tightness, Borg scale, forearm muscle stiffness, and gyro angle increased (p<0.05). Participants with elbow injury history had lower scapular positions.
【CONCLUSIONS】
The scapular position on the pitching side of pediatric baseball pitchers lowered during a single appearance.