Relationship between tightness of the hip joint and shoulder/elbow injury in high school baseball pitchers: a prospective study

Noritaka Hamano,Takuro Kuboi,Tsuyoshi Tajika,Hitoshi Shitara,Fumitaka Endo,Hirotaka Chikuda,Masataka Kamiyama,Atsushi Yamamoto,Kenji Takagishi,Ryosuke Miyamoto,Tsuyoshi Sasaki,Tsuyoshi Ichinose

doi:10.1038/s41598-020-76894-6

Abstract

Some studies have reported that upper limb tightness is a risk factor for shoulder/elbow pain in high school baseball pitchers; but there has been insufficient research on the relationship between lower limb tightness and shoulder and elbow pain in pitchers. This study aimed to clarify the correlation among pre-season hip range of motion (ROM) and shoulder and elbow disorders in high school baseball pitchers. We surveyed 125 high school pitchers. Hip ROM was measured in the supine and prone positions. After the season, based on their answers to the self-recorded questionnaire, a “shoulder or elbow injury” was defined as any condition resulting in the pitcher being considered disabled for ≥ 8 days. An independent t-test and logistic regression analysis were used for statistical analysis. Eleven disabled pitchers (9%) were identified during the season. In the injured group, the ROM of the plant side hip with 90° flexed external rotation was smaller than that in the non-injured group. Preseason limited ROM in the plant side hip with 90° flexed external rotation was a risk factor for the occurrence of shoulder/elbow pain in the season.

Highlights

It has been reported that high school baseball pitchers have more upper limb injuries during the season than fielders in high school[1]
We showed that in high school baseball pitchers, ER90 on the plant side during the preseason is a risk factor for developing shoulder and elbow pain during the season
The notion that pitching movements are a kinematic chain has often been described in recent years, it has been reported that defects in the chain movement cause subsequent impairment[8,9,10,11,12]

Summary

Introduction

It has been reported that high school baseball pitchers have more upper limb injuries during the season than fielders in high school[1]. In studies on high school baseball and softball players, it has been suggested that shoulder and elbow pain is caused by a decrease in the range of internal rotation of the shoulder and a decrease in the range of horizontal adduction[5]. Saito et al found that reduced hip flexion and 90° flexion internal rotation (IR) on both the dominant and non-dominant legs were risk factors for elbow pain in adolescent p layers[6]. Several cross-sectional studies have been conducted, none of the studies have shown a positive relationship between shoulder and elbow pain and lower limb tightness. The purpose of this study was to prospectively examine the relation between the hip range of motion (ROM) in the preseason and shoulder and elbow pain in the season in high school baseball pitchers

Objectives

Methods

Conclusion