Affect Injury Risk Research Articles

BODY COMPOSITION AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO SPORTS INJURIES IN YOUNG FEMALE ACROBATIC GYMNASTS

The risk of injury is associated with elite sport. There is evidence that body composition may affect injury risk. The aim of this study was to analyze the incidence of injuries, and to determine the relationship of body composition with the incidence, typology and severity of injuries in female acrobatic gymnasts. The sample included 92 female acrobatic gymnasts aged between 9 and 20 years (13.66 ± 2.66 years), 33 tops (11.06 and 1.41 age) and 59 bases (15.11 and 2.00 age). Body measurements (fat percentage, muscle percentage and the sum of 6 skinfolds), and body mass index (BMI) and their categorization into underweight, normal weight and overweight, were measured. Data about injuries were collected through a self-completed questionnaire at the end of the season, where it was recorded whether they had suffered injuries, the type of injury (joint, ligament, tendon or bone) and its severity (minor, moderate or severe). A descriptive, comparative and relational analysis of the studied variables and between groups was carried out. The results obtained in this study indicate a higher percentage of uninjured gymnasts, but also a high percentage of injured gymnasts, with ligament injuries being the most frequent. As for the relationship with body composition and BMI, no significant relationships were observed in the incidence, typology or severity of injuries suffered by these athletes. It only seems to affect tendon injuries in the bases, with the injured gymnasts having a higher BMI, fat percentage and the sum of six skinfolds.

How Mental Health Affects Injury Risk and Outcomes in Athletes.

The importance of mental health among athletes is becoming more recognized and valued. Athletes experience symptoms of depression, anxiety, and related mental health disorders at rates similar to those of the general population, but because athletes face unique cultural and environmental pressures, such disorders are exacerbated in the context of an injury. Furthermore, we review the less well-known evidence that mental health disorders in athletes are associated with an increased risk of injury. We discuss the increasing awareness of the deficiencies in mental health support for athletes, which has been especially highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as in prominent professional and Olympic athletes, and describe both internal and external barriers to appropriate care. We searched PubMed for pertinent peer-reviewed studies. Clinical review. Level 5. There is a known psychological response to injury that can prolong recovery from musculoskeletal injury; conversely, mental health disorders in athletes are not only associated with an increased injury risk but also portend poorer outcomes subsequently, including prolonged recovery times, increased rates of injury recurrence, decreased rates of return to sport, and reduced performance upon return. Because of inherent barriers to appropriate care of athletes, including identification, stigma, and resource availability, there are currently various ongoing efforts nationally to create and implement initiatives regarding athlete mental health screening, support systems, and directed interventions to address the inextricably linked physical and mental health of athletes. Athletic injury negatively impacts the mental health of athletes. Likewise, mental health can and does influence athletic performance and is also intimately tied to the risk of athletic injury, thus creating a complex cycle with inability to separate physical and mental health.

Sleep, Dance Exposure Hours, and Injury Risk in Collegiate Dancers.

Sleep is essential for athletes and dancers to optimize recovery. Poor sleep negatively affects cognitive function and injury risk in athletes. Increased athletic participation (hours) is associated with decreased total sleep and quality in athletes. Still, information about how sleep is related with exposure hours and injury in collegiate dancers remains unclear. We examined the relationships among the Athlete Sleep Behavior Questionnaire (ASBQ), dance exposure hours (DEHr), and injuries in collegiate dancers over a 7 -month period (August 2019-February 2020). Seventy-two dancers (58 female, 14 male; 19.7 ± 1.4 years) completed the 18 question ASBQ at the start of each month (Scale:1 = Never, 5 = Always; Global Scores ≤36 = "good sleep behavior" and ≥42 = "poor sleep behavior"). A DEHr was recorded as 1 hour of dance participation in class, rehearsal, or performance. Injuries were defined as any condition where the dancer sought medical attention, and we calculated an injury rate for total injuries (IR/1000 DEHr). Pearson correlations examined relationships among ASBQ, DEHr, and injuries (P ≤ .05). Dancers participated in 467.8 ± 45.7 DEHr over 7 months, with 14 dancers suffering 18 injuries (IR = 0.5/1000-DEHr; 95% CI:0.3-0.8). Overall, dancers reported poor sleep behaviors (42.6 ± 6.4). ASBQ scores, DEHr, and injuries in August-October, and December-February were not related, except for a weak positive relationship between ASBQ scores and DEHr in November (r = .28, P = .04). Sleep, DEHr, and injuries were inconsistently related in collegiate dancers. Sleep and DEHr were only correlated during the month where dancers had 2 performance weeks. While we did not observe this relationship every month, performance weeks may have negatively affected sleep in November. Despite consistent poor sleep, sleep did not seem to negatively affect injury risk during the 7 -month study period. Future researchers should validate the ASBQ in dancers.

Enforcing walking speed and step-length affects joint kinematics and kinetics in male and female healthy adults

BackgroundIndividuals increase walking speed by increasing their step-length, increasing their step-frequency, or both. During basic training military recruits are introduced to marching “in-step”, and thus the requirement to walk at fixed speeds and step-lengths. The extent to which individuals are required to under- or over-stride will vary depending on their stature, and the stature of others in their section. The incidence of stress fractures in female recruits undergoing basic training is higher than that for their male counterparts. Research question:Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine how joint kinematics and kinetics are affected by walking speed, step-length, and sex. MethodsThirty-seven (19 female) aerobically active non-injured individuals volunteered for this study. Synchronised three-dimensional kinematic and kinetic data were collected while participants walked overground at prescribed speeds. Audio and visual cues were used to control step-lengths. Linear mixed models were run to analyse the effects of speed, step-length condition, and sex on peak joint moments. Results and SignificanceThe findings of this study showed that, in general, walking faster and over-striding predominantly increased peak joint moments, suggesting that over-striding is more likely to negatively affect injury risk than under-striding. This is especially important for individuals unaccustomed to over-striding as the cumulative effect of increased joint moments may affect a muscles capability to withstand the increased external forces associated with walking faster and with longer step-lengths, which could then lead to an increased risk of developing an injury.

Untangling risk factors including discipline-specific exposure for injuries in preprofessional and professional circus artists in the USA

ObjectiveThis prospective cohort study quantified injury patterns related to specific circus discipline exposure in preprofessional and professional circus artists.MethodsCircus artists (n=201; ages 13–69; 172 female, 29 male assigned sex at...

The Role of Workload Management in Injury Prevention, Athletic, and Academic Performance in the Student-Athlete.

Workload plays important roles in sports-related injury and athletic performance by influencing exposure to external injury risk factors and potential events, promoting changes in fitness level, which involves positive adaptations to training that may lead to improved performance, and/or stimulating fatigue which leads to negative effects in the body that may increase the risk of injury and negatively affect performance. In addition to the physical stress and significant time required for practice and training, student athletes also face subjective stressors. The total workload affects injury risk, but acute changes or spikes in external and/or internal loads seem to affect injury risk the most. These also may lead to poor recovery practices that may affect physical and academic performance. It is important for the medical team, coaches, parents, and the student athlete to understand the vulnerability of this population to increased amounts of workload and its positive and negative effects.

Uncertainty analysis for stride-time-derived modelling of lower limb stiffness: applying Taylor series expansion for error propagation on Monte-Carlo simulated data

ABSTRACT Knowledge of uncertainty is valuable mainly in correctly appraising measured effects. In lower limb stiffness, which affects injury risk and athletic performance, uncertainty is often related to vertical (Kvert) and leg (Kleg) stiffness. Imprecisions in measurements of body mass (M), leg length (L), contact (tc) and flight (tf) time propagate through the calculations, augment stiffness uncertainty and inflate relevant effects. This study estimated the limits of this uncertainty as probable (Eprob) and upper bound (Eupper) errors by applying Taylor series expansion on Monte–Carlo simulated data. Eprob and Eupper were 1285 ± 221 N/m (3.9 ± 0.2%) and 1441 ± 248 N/m (4.4 ± 0.3%) in Kvert, and 222 ± 61 N/m (2.1 ± 0.1%) and 375 ± 109 N/m (3.6 ± 0.3%) in Kleg, respectively. To avoid the complexities of full Taylor series expansion, Eprob was predicted (R2 ≈ 1) more simply as 0.89Eupper in Kvert and 11 + 0.56Eupper in Kleg. These uncertainties reflect mostly errors in tc and tf, and uncertainty in Fmax, at kinematic sampling of 300 Hz and running at 4–5 m/s. With slower sampling or faster running these uncertainties rise, and their impact on similar lower limb stiffness effects could be substantial. Applying Taylor series expansion for error propagation on Monte–Carlo simulated data is valid for uncertainty analysis in any multivariable functional relationship.

How does the All-Star break affect injury rates in professional baseball?

Injury rates in professional baseball players are increasing. It is unclear if the time of rest from the All-Star break affects injury risk. Every professional baseball game (A-, A+, AA, AAA, and Major League Baseball) played between 2011 and 2017 was included. Each game was then classified as control game (games played in April, May, June, and September) or game within one month after the All-Star break. Incidence of injuries in games within one month of the All-Star break was compared with the control games. Our analysis included 66,642 games: 46,630 control games and 20,012 games played within one month after the All-Star break. On univariate analysis, there was a mean ± standard deviation of 0.45 ± 0.72 injuries per game in control games and 0.41 ± 0.68 injuries per game in games played within one month after the All-Star break (P<.001). On multivariate analysis, there was a significant association between games played within one month after the All-Star break and number of injuries per game (P<.001) after adjusting for the level of play and game duration. However, the effect size was 0.001, suggesting this effect is clinically insignificant. There does not appear to be a clinically significant difference in injury rates per game in professional baseball players between games played in the month after the All-Star break and all other games played during the season. Although the All-Star break provides most players with a chance to rest, it does not appear to have an effect on injury rates.

The risk of injury in the first five years of an Australian football career – Can it be predicted without using player load?

Background: The concept of predicting injury risk has been criticised (Bahr, 2016), however research using machine learning methods has demonstrated that it is possible to predict injury risk in basketball (Talukder 2016a) and soccer (Talukder 2016b). Player load is by far the strongest injury risk factor (Rossi 2018), however player load data may not always be available for analysis and the prediction of risk. The aim of this study was to investigate whether player characteristics alone, could be used to predict injury risk in the first five seasons of an Australian football player’s professional career. Methods: The data represented 1033 unique AFL players, who sustained 4762 injuries in seasons 1997-2016. Player characteristics (height, body mass, age, playing position, indigenousness & natural kicking foot) and the injury characteristics of the previous season, were used in models to predict injury risk. Results: A Naïve Bayes model that was based on player characteristics alone was able to classify injury risk category (low, medium, high) over 5 years, 1.3 times better than random chance. The characteristics of; playing position, height and body mass contributed to 97% of the prediction of injury risk category. A Decision Tree model that classified injury risk category in a single season, based on the characteristics of a player and their injuries in the previous season, performed 1.4 times better than random chance. When the models were used to predict whether a player would be in the highest risk category, the performance of both models increased to 1.9 and 2.2 times better than random chance. Taller and heavier key position players who sustained hamstring strain and groin strain/osteitis pubis injuries in the previous season had a higher injury risk than shorter and lighter non-key position players who remained injury-free in the previous season. Discussion: The injury prediction models reported here did not perform as well previously reported models that were based on training load. Nevertheless, they demonstrate how player characteristics affect injury risk and the models themselves can be used “live” to stratify injury risk, which can then be used to help clinicians make decisions about risk mitigation strategies such as prehabilitation. Conflict of interest statement: My co-authors and I acknowledge that we have no conflict of interest of relevance to the submission of this abstract.

The Impact of Physical Performance on Functional Movement Screen Scores and Asymmetries in Female University Physical Education Students.

Association between physical performance and movement quality remains ambiguous. However, both affect injury risk. Furthermore, existing research rarely regards women. Therefore, this study aimed to assess the impact of physical performance components on FMS scores and asymmetries among young women—University Physical Education Students. The study sample was 101 women, 21.72 ± 1.57 years, body mass index 21.52 ± 2.49 [kg/m2]. The FMS test was conducted to assess the movement patterns quality. Physical performance tests were done to evaluate strength, power, flexibility. Flexibility has the strongest correlation with FMS overall (r = 0.25, p = 0.0130) and single tasks scores. A higher level of flexibility and strength of abdominal muscles are associated with fewer asymmetries (r = −0.31, p = 0.0018; r = −0.27, p = 0.0057, respectively). However, the main findings determine that flexibility has the strongest and statistically significant impact on FMS overall (ß = 0.25, p = 0.0106) and asymmetries (ß = −0.30, p = 0.0014). Additionally, a significant effect of abdominal muscles strength on FMS asymmetries were observed (ß = −0.29, p = 0.0027). Flexibility and abdominal muscles strength have the most decisive impact on movement patterns quality. These results suggest possibilities for shaping FMS scores in young women.

Biomechanics Differ for Individuals With Similar Self-Reported Characteristics of Patellofemoral Pain During a High-Demand Multiplanar Movement Task.

Patellofemoral pain (PFP) is often categorized by researchers and clinicians using subjective self-reported PFP characteristics; however, this practice might mask important differences in movement biomechanics between PFP patients. To determine whether biomechanical differences exist during a high-demand multiplanar movement task for PFP patients with similar self-reported PFP characteristics but different quadriceps activation levels. Cross-sectional design. Biomechanics laboratory. A total of 15 quadriceps deficient and 15 quadriceps functional (QF) PFP patients with similar self-reported PFP characteristics. In total, 5 trials of a high-demand multiplanar land, cut, and jump movement task were performed. Biomechanics were compared at each percentile of the ground contact phase of the movement task (α = .05) between the quadriceps deficient and QF groups. Biomechanical variables included (1)whole-body center of mass, trunk, hip, knee, and ankle kinematics; (2)hip, knee, and ankle kinetics; and (3)ground reaction forces. The QF patients exhibited increased ground reaction force, joint torque, and movement, relative to the quadriceps deficient patients. The QF patients exhibited: (1)up to 90, 60, and 35N more vertical, posterior, and medial ground reaction force at various times of the ground contact phase; (2)up to 4° more knee flexion during ground contact and up to 4° more plantarflexion and hip extension during the latter parts of ground contact; and (3)up to 26, 21, and 48 N·m more plantarflexion, knee extension, and hip extension torque, respectively, at various times of ground contact. PFP patients with similar self-reported PFP characteristics exhibit different movement biomechanics, and these differences depend upon quadriceps activation levels. These differences are important because movement biomechanics affect injury risk and athletic performance. In addition, these biomechanical differences indicate that different therapeutic interventions may be needed for PFP patients with similar self-reported PFP characteristics.

The injury risk profile of an Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps population: A preliminary descriptive study

ObjectivesArmy Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) prepares cadets for military service where lower extremity injuries can occur. The Landing Error Scoring System (LESS), Functional Movement Screen (FMS) and Y-Balance (YBAL) have not been used to evaluate injury risk in the ROTC. Higher physical fitness lowers injury risk in basic training recruits, it is unknown if previous high school sport participation affects injury risk in the ROTC. The purpose of this study was to evaluation the LESS, FMS, YBAL and high school sport participation in the ROTC. DesignDescriptive study. SettingUniversity. Participants78 ROTC (49 males, 29 females; 19.7 ± 2.3yrs; 1.71 ± 10.1 m; 62.5 ± 21.2 kg). Main outcome measuresLESS, FMS, YBAL and sports participation were collected and scores were calculated. Means, standard deviation and range were reported for each test. Distribution of scores within injury risk categories were evaluated. Sport participation frequency was reported. ResultsThe mean LESS and FMS scores were 7.1 ± 2.1 and 14.6 ± 2.1, respectively. The average YBAL composite score was 90.2% ± 12.0. 68% were poor on the LESS. 46.1% were high risk on the FMS. 69.2% were high risk on the YBAL composite. Seventy-seven percent reported at least one year of participation in high school sports. ConclusionsROTC population demonstrated poor jump landing mechanics and were high risk on the YBAL composite.

Differences in Lower Extremity Movement Quality by Level of Sport Specialization in Cadets Entering a United States Service Academy.

Sport specialization in youth athletes is associated with increased risk for musculoskeletal injury; however, little is known about whether sport specialization is associated with lower extremity movement quality. The purpose of this study was to examine differences in lower extremity movement quality by level of sport specialization in US Service Academy cadets. Cadets who report an increased level of sport specialization would have a lower level of movement quality than those who are less specialized. Cross-sectional analysis from an ongoing prospective cohort study. Level 3. Cadets completed the Landing Error Scoring System (LESS) and a baseline questionnaire evaluating level of sport specialization during high school. Data were analyzed using separate 1-way analysis of variance models. Among all participants (n = 1950), 1045 (53.6%) reported low sport specialization, 600 (30.8%) reported moderate sport specialization, and 305 (15.6%) reported high sport specialization at the time of data collection during the first week. Ages ranged from 17 to 23 years. Men (1491) and women (459) reported comparable specialization levels (P = 0.45). There were no statistically significant differences in lower extremity movement quality by level of specialization for all subjects combined (P = 0.15) or when only men were included in the analyses (P = 0.69). However, there were statistically significant differences in movement quality by level of specialization in women (P = 0.02). Moderately specialized women had the best movement quality (mean, 4.63; SD, 2.21) followed by those with high specialization (mean, 4.90; SD, 2.08) and those with low levels of specialization (mean, 5.23; SD, 2.07). Women reporting moderate sport specialization had improved movement quality and significantly better LESS scores compared to those with high/low specialization. Athletes, especially women, should be encouraged to avoid early sport specialization to optimize movement quality, which may affect injury risk.

Effect of Age at Menarche on Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury Incidence and Anterior Knee Laxity in Collegiate Athletes

Female athletes suffer painful, costly, and career-limiting non-contact anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries more often than males. Previous research suggests that pubertal neuromusculoskeletal development contributes to this sex-bias, but the manner in which variation in pubertal development affects injury risk within females is poorly understood. Age at menarche is a variable, significant pubertal developmental event, signaling the onset of estrogen cycling and affecting musculoskeletal development. Earlier menarche may increase injury risk, possibly by increasing anterior knee laxity through prolonged estrogen exposure. The purpose of this case-control study was to test the primary hypothesis that collegiate athletes with previous ACL injuries have earlier age at menarche than their uninjured peers, and to test the secondary hypothesis that earlier menarche is related to greater anterior knee laxity in injured and uninjured athletes. The study sample consisted of female NCAA Division-I varsity athletes (N=14 injured, N=120 uninjured). Outcome measures included: menstrual history and ACL injury details (injury age, activity at time of injury, contact vs. non-contact), assessed by questionnaire; and anterior knee laxity assessed by KT-1000 arthrometer. Correlation, t-tests, and regression analysis were used to test for associations between age at menarche, injury incidence, and knee laxity. Fourteen athletes reported ≥1 non-contact ACL injury, and had significantly earlier menarche than uninjured athletes (12.6±1.3 y vs. 13.4±1.4 y; P=0.05). Earlier menarche also significantly predicted injury status (Wald c2=7.43; Pb=-1.02±0.37; OR=0.36; 95% CI:0.17-0.75), but was not correlated with anterior knee laxity. Within injured athletes, however, laxity in the unaffected knee was significantly related to time since menarche (r2=0.79, Pr2=0.72, P

Benefits and challenges of serial sports training risk assessment and counselling in kids: the T.R.A.C.K. randomised intervention study

BackgroundPublished training recommendations exist for youth athletes aimed at reducing injury risk. No studies have assessed the impact of counselling interventions using training recommendations on risk of injury in young...

Hinged ankle braces do not alter knee mechanics during sidestep cutting

Lateral ankle sprains are common injuries in quick, dynamic movements and are caused by rapid ankle inversion. Ankle braces are used to reduce ankle inversion, while allowing normal plantar and dorsiflexion ranges of motion. Knee injuries, such as anterior cruciate ligament injuries, are also common in dynamic movements. It is important to understand how ankle braces affect injury risk at other proximal joints. There is limited and conflicting results on how ankle braces affect knee mechanics during these types of movements. Additionally, it is unknown if sex differences exist when using an ankle brace. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the effects of a hinged ankle brace and sex during a 45° cutting movement. Three-dimensional kinematics and ground reaction forces were collected using a motion capture system and force plate on ten men and eight women during cutting trials. 2 × 2 repeated measures ANOVAs were used to detect differences in ground reaction forces, as well as knee and ankle kinematics between brace conditions and sex (p < 0.05). The brace condition exhibited greater initial contact ankle dorsiflexion (p = 0.011), decreased peak ankle inversion (p < 0.01), and increased vertical loading rate (p = 0.040). Females performed the cutting movement with less initial contact (p = 0.019) and peak knee flexion (p = 0.023) compared to males. Ankle bracing had no impact on the observed sex differences. Females exhibited decreased knee flexion compared to males, which has been well documented in the literature. The use of an ankle braces reduced ankle injury risk variables while not adversely impacting knee mechanics during a 45° sidecutting movement.

Acute Effects of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation on Peak Torque and Muscle Imbalance.

Background: The effects of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) stretching on muscle imbalance are not fully understood. The aim of this study was to examine the acute effects of PNF stretching on knee extension and flexion peak torque (PT), as well as the conventional and functional hamstrings to quadriceps (H:Q) ratios. Methods: Fifteen men (age = 22 ± 1 years; body mass = 76 ± 12 kg; height = 176 ± 7 cm) and fifteen women (age = 22 ± 2 years; body mass = 63 ± 8 kg; height = 161 ± 5 cm) performed concentric quadriceps and hamstrings, and eccentric hamstrings muscle actions at different angular velocities (60, 180, and 300°·s−1 concentric; 60 and 180°·s−1 eccentric) before and after a bout of PNF stretching, and a control condition. Results: Neither PNF or control conditions affected concentric PT or H:Q ratios (p > 0.05), apart from knee extension at 60°·s−1 in men (p = 0.001). However, there was a reduction in hamstrings eccentric PT in both control and PNF conditions for men and women (p = 0.003). Conclusions: PNF stretching of the hamstrings may not adversely affect the H:Q ratios, and consequently not negatively affect injury risk associated with muscular strength imbalances.

Effective injury forecasting in soccer with GPS training data and machine learning.

Injuries have a great impact on professional soccer, due to their large influence on team performance and the considerable costs of rehabilitation for players. Existing studies in the literature provide just a preliminary understanding of which factors mostly affect injury risk, while an evaluation of the potential of statistical models in forecasting injuries is still missing. In this paper, we propose a multi-dimensional approach to injury forecasting in professional soccer that is based on GPS measurements and machine learning. By using GPS tracking technology, we collect data describing the training workload of players in a professional soccer club during a season. We then construct an injury forecaster and show that it is both accurate and interpretable by providing a set of case studies of interest to soccer practitioners. Our approach opens a novel perspective on injury prevention, providing a set of simple and practical rules for evaluating and interpreting the complex relations between injury risk and training performance in professional soccer.

Risk factors for unintentional occupational injury among urban transit bus drivers: a cohort longitudinal study

PurposeAlthough many studies have focused on bus operators' occupational diseases, work-related injury and associated risk factor data are limited. The purpose of this longitudinal study was to investigate unintentional injury and exposures that may affect injury risk among metropolitan bus operators. MethodsDemographic, work-related, and injury data obtained from a metropolitan transit company for a 5-year period, enabled estimates of rates per 100 full time equivalents (FTEs) and adjusted Hazard Ratios (HRs), with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), using Generalized Estimating Equations and Cox proportional hazards models, respectively. ResultsThe 2095 bus operators, included in this study, had an unintentional injury rate (95% CI) of 17.8 (16.1–19.7) per 100 FTEs. Multivariable analysis identified increased risks for operators who were female, compared to male (HR = 2.4; 2.0–2.8); worked less than 7 versus 7 to less than 12 hours per day (HR = 4.6; 3.8–5.5); and drove less than 7 versus 7 to less than 12 hours per day (HR = 3.2; 2.7–3.8). Suggestive increased risks were identified for operators working split versus straight shifts (HR = 1.2; 1.0–1.4) and for driving limited versus regular bus routes (HR = 1.36; 1.0–1.8). ConclusionsResults serve as a basis for further studies and inform the development of targeted intervention strategies to reduce bus operators' occupational injuries.

Trunk Muscle Function Deficit in Youth Baseball Pitchers With Excessive Contralateral Trunk Tilt During Pitching.

Pitching technique is one of many factors that affect injury risk. Exhibiting excessive contralateral trunk tilt (CLT) during pitching has been linked to higher ball speed but also to increased joint loading. Deficit in trunk muscle strength has been suggested as an underlying cause of this movement pattern. The purpose of the study was to compare trunk muscle strength between youth baseball pitchers with varying degree of CLT during pitching. Cross-sectional study. Baseball practice fields. Twenty-eight youth baseball pitchers. Pitching technique was captured using a video camera. Based on the 2-dimensional trunk contralateral flexion angle, pitchers were categorized into low (<15 degrees), moderate (15-30 degrees), or high (>30 degrees) CLT groups. Maximum isometric strength tests for trunk flexion, extension, and bilateral rotation, measured using a dynamometer. The pitchers with high CLT (n = 10) had longer pitching experience (P = 0.014), produced higher ball speed (P = 0.003) compared with the pitchers with moderate (n = 10) and low (n = 8) CLT, but demonstrated greater asymmetry in trunk rotation strength (relative weakness in rotation strength toward dominant side) compared with the pitchers with low CLT (P = 0.015). Excessive CLT may be a strategy that young pitchers learn to achieve higher ball velocity but also may be associated with imbalance between the oblique muscles on dominant and nondominant side, which may be acquired from repetitive pitching. Strengthening and emphasizing the use of dominant side oblique muscles may keep pitchers from leaning excessively during pitching and thus decrease joint loading.