Deceleration phase elbow varus moments: a potential injury mechanism for collegiate baseball pitchers

Abstract

The incidence of elbow injury experienced by baseball pitchers is on the rise. Biomechanical investigations focusing on the acceleration phase of the pitch have yet to elucidate a singular cause for these injuries. Leading to the question is there an additional significant stress on the elbow during other phases of the pitch? This study sought to determine the magnitude of the elbow varus moment during the deceleration phase of the pitching cycle for the fastball, curveball, slider and change-up. Eighty-seven collegiate-level pitchers were evaluated using motion analysis techniques to determine the magnitude of the elbow varus moment occurring during the deceleration phase. The results indicated that the elbow varus moment during the deceleration phase of the pitch was typically between 40% and 50% of the peak acceleration phase moment and was greatest when throwing a slider. Results also indicated that more pitchers experienced deceleration phase moments in excess of 50% of the acceleration moment when throwing breaking pitches. These moments which are the result of the pitchers' need to rapidly decelerate their arm produce an additional significant elbow varus moment that results in additional stress to the elbow.

Keywords: Kinetics; elbow; motion analysis; pitching.