Elbow Flexion Excursion: Intra- and Inter-Throwing Arm Kinetic Evaluations in High School and Professional Baseball Pitchers.

Background: Elbow flexion at stagnant time points of the pitch has been associated with increased elbow varus torque (EVT) and elbow injury history.

Purpose: To determine how elbow flexion angle throughout the pitch (excursion) between individual pitchers and a cohort of pitchers influences throwing arm kinetics in high school (HS) and professional (PRO) pitchers.

Study Design: Descriptive laboratory study.

Primary Care Considerations for the Baseball Athlete.

Purpose Of Review: To summarize current guidance and best practices surrounding non-orthopedic medical concerns in baseball.

Recent Findings: Discussion of COVID19-related practice changes pertaining to the prevention and screening of communicable respiratory illness, concussion protocol updates, the enhanced role of a multi-disciplinary team of mental health professionals. Prevention, appropriate screening, and early identification remain cornerstones of effective primary care both within the general population as well as for the baseball athlete.

Variability in Pitch Count Limits and Rest Day Requirements by State: Implications of Season-Long Pitch Counts in High School Baseball Pitchers.

Background: It is unknown how different pitch count limits and rest day requirements affect cumulative pitch counts during a baseball season.

Purpose: To determine (1) the variability of pitch count rules in high school baseball and (2) the theoretical effect of different pitch count limits and rest day combinations on game, weekly, and seasonal pitch totals in high school baseball pitchers.

Study Design: Cross-sectional study.

The Most Common Type, Severity, and Expected Frequency of Injuries Vary by Defensive Position in Professional Baseball Players.

Background: Location, frequency, and severity of in-game injuries by defensive position played have never been determined in professional baseball players.

Hypothesis: Catchers would have a higher frequency of hip and knee injuries; infielders and outfielders would have a higher frequency of general lower extremity injuries; and pitchers would have a higher frequency and severity of shoulder and elbow/forearm injuries.

Study Design: Descriptive epidemiology study.

Kinematic and kinetic analyses of professional pitchers with history of core or groin injuries: A propensity-score matched analysis.

Background: Core injuries in professional baseball pitchers have been linked to both diminished performance and time missed during the season injury was sustained. It is currently unclear how a history of a core injury may affect the future pitching performance and mechanics of professional baseball pitchers.

Purpose: To compare kinetic and kinematic variables between professional baseball pitchers with prior core/groin injuries and those without prior injury.

Disparities in concussion diagnoses compared to ankle injuries.

Background: Health disparities related to concussions have been reported in the literature for certain minority populations. Given the significant impact of concussions on long- and short-term function, the mitigation of barriers to accessing care is an important public health objective.

Objective: To determine if racial and ethnic disparities exist in patients who seek care for concussions compared to a control group with orthopedic ankle injuries (sprains and fractures) to minimize confounding factors that predispose to injury.

Joint and segment sequencing and its relationship to ball velocity and throwing arm kinetics in professional pitchers.

Background: Temporal variations during the pitch have demonstrated significant impacts on the kinetic chain, and as such, have implications in injury risk.

Purpose: To determine the effect of varying chronological orders of maximum joint and segment velocities on ball velocity and upper extremity kinetics.

Methods: Professional baseball pitchers (n = 287) were assessed with 3D-motion capture (480 Hz) while pitching.

Communicable Illness Mitigation Strategies for Traveling Elite Sporting Organizations.

Context: Transmission of communicable diseases observed in sporting organizations is often preventable. Early detection, isolation, and treatment can significantly diminish time lost. Until recently, there has been a paucity of standardized guidelines outlining feasible, preventable measures to protect both athletes and staff from contagious illnesses.

Effects of Mound Versus Flat-Ground Pitching and Distance on Arm Mechanics and Elbow Torque in High School Pitchers.

Background: Although the monitoring of a pitcher's throwing arm workload has become a hot topic in both research and the pitching world, the impact of mound height and distance still remains unclear.

Purpose: To compare the kinetics and kinematics between pitches from a mound and flat ground at 2 different distances.

Study Design: Descriptive laboratory study.