Biomechanical Comparison of the Interval Throwing Progression and Baseball Pitching: Upper Extremity Stresses in Training and Rehabilitation

Variability in Baseball Throwing Metrics During a Structured Long-Toss Program: Does One Size Fit All or Should Programs Be Individualized?

“…Differing mechanics involved in longtoss compared with mound pitching may make it difficult to know when a rehabilitating athlete should transition from the former to the latter. 17 Researchers have examined the biomechanics of longtoss throwing 12,16 and developed progressive interval throwing programs incorporating long-toss for rehabilitation. [3][4][5]14,18 After injury or surgery, long-toss is integrated later in the rehabilitation process when healing tissues are strong enough to withstand forces acting on the arm.…”

Changes in Throwing Arm Mechanics at Increased Throwing Distances During Structured Long-Toss

“…23-25 These exercises cannot completely reproduce the speed and stress of actually throwing a baseball, so an interval throwing program is regularly incorporated. 3,19 Most of these programs are designed according to the principle of introducing the arm to gradually increasing loads, and they have generally been effective in conditioning players during the off-season and returning pitchers and position players to play after injury. 25 However, these programs have been developed largely on the basis of conventional wisdom and coaches’ opinions rather than scientific data-driven biomechanical loading approaches.…”

Reducing Cumulative Arm Overuse Injuries in Young Throwers

“…14 How and where the youth athlete throws during rehabilitation is also important to a successful program. Slenker et al 15 demonstrated that partial-effort pitching significantly lowered loads on the shoulder and elbow in pitchers. They also showed that flat-ground throwing at even the shortest distances had similar biomechanical loads compared with pitching from the mound, yet at significantly lower ball velocity.…”

“…They also showed that flat-ground throwing at even the shortest distances had similar biomechanical loads compared with pitching from the mound, yet at significantly lower ball velocity. 15 Pitchers who began using a "crow hop" that used increased lower extremity involvement to facilitate longer distance throws from flat ground had no increase in shoulder or elbow loads. Thus, the mechanical advantages of throwing from a mound or using the crow hop are likely protective during rehabilitation and training throws.…”