Abstract
Pitching motion requires whole-body coordination; therefore, poor control of the lower extremities, pelvis and trunk may cause shoulder and elbow injuries. However, few studies have described the relationship between the shoulder joint function and low back injury in high-school baseball pitchers. A total of 128 healthy high school pitchers underwent pre-season medical checkups, where their shoulder range of motion and shoulder strength were measured. The participants completed a self-recorded daily questionnaire regarding the presence of low back pain. Pitchers were divided into injured and non-injured groups. Low back injury was observed in 13 participants (13.4%). In the injured group, horizontal adduction on the dominant shoulder was significantly less than in the non-injured group. A logistic regression analysis showed that horizontal adduction on the dominant side was a significant independent risk factor for low back injury during the season. It is important to recognize that restriction of the shoulder function not only causes shoulder and elbow injuries but can also risk low back injury.
Highlights
Because the risk factors for low back pain in the upper extremities in high-school baseball pitchers have not been investigated, we investigated the relationship between the occurrence of low back pain and deficits of the shoulder functions, which are known risk factors for baseball-related upper extremity injury
A total of 128 high-school baseball pitchers participated in pre-season medical checkups
We showed that if horizontal adduction on the dominant side were improved by 13.8°, which was the difference in the range of motion between the injured and non-injured group, the injury risk would be reduced by 68%
Summary
Pitching motion requires whole-body coordination; poor control of the lower extremities, pelvis and trunk may cause shoulder and elbow injuries. Pitching requires whole-body coordination, and poor control of the lower extremities, pelvis and trunk may cause shoulder and elbow injuries. In high-school baseball pitchers, limitations in dominant shoulder internal rotation measured during pre-season medical checkups are a risk factor for the development of shoulder and elbow injuries during the season[1]. Hamstring tightness on the non-throwing arm side was identified as a potential risk factor for low back pain in high-school baseball p layers[7]. We hypothesized that deficiencies in the shoulder function at pre-season medical checkups might cause low back injury, as when the upper extremities cannot provide normal pitching power, trunk flexion and rotation might exert excessive motion to compensate
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