High school baseball pitchers may develop weakened supraspinatus strength due to high pitch volume, according to a study published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine.
The researchers identified pitchers from three high schools, who they followed for four consecutive seasons. They investigated how pitch volume impacted musculoskeletal adaptations by testing range of motion and strength measures in the players' dominant arm, compared with their non-dominant arm.
Here's what you need to know:
1. Range of motion tests included internal-external rotation and posterior shoulder flexibility. Strength tests included internal-external rotation, supraspinatus and scapular retraction.
2. Dominant versus non-dominant range of motion differences were not detected from one year to the next. These differences were also unaffected by pitch volume.
3. Supraspinatus strength decreased in the dominant arm during the season; there was a 13 percent loss of supraspinatus strength in high-volume pitchers and a 6 percent loss of supraspinatus strength in lower-volume pitchers.
4. Strength measures did increase from one year to the next, which is consistent with adolescent physical development.