Kinematic comparisons of 1996 Olympic baseball pitchers

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare and evaluate the kinematics of baseball pitchers who participated in the 1996 XXVI Centennial Olympic Games. Two synchronized video cameras operating at 120 Hz were used to video 48 pitchers from Australia, Japan, the Netherlands, Cuba, Italy, Korea, Nicaragua and the USA. All pitchers were analysed while throwing the fastball pitch. Twenty-one kinematic parameters were measured at lead foot contact, during the arm cocking and arm acceleration phases, and at the instant of ball release. These parameters included stride length, foot angle and foot placement; shoulder abduction, shoulder horizontal adduction and shoulder external rotation; knee and elbow flexion; upper torso, shoulder internal rotation and elbow extension angular velocities; forward and lateral trunk tilt; and ball speed. A one-way analysis of variance (P < 0.01) was used to assess kinematic differences. Shoulder horizontal adduction and shoulder external rotation at lead foot contact and ball speed at the instant of ball release were significantly different among countries. The greater shoulder horizontal abduction observed in Cuban pitchers at lead foot contact is thought to be an important factor in the generation of force throughout the arm cocking and arm acceleration phases, and may in part explain why Cuban pitchers generated the greatest ball release speed. We conclude that pitching kinematics are similar among baseball pitchers from different countries.

Body Mass Index and Elbow Range of Motion in a Healthy Pediatric Population: A Possible Mechanism of Overweight in Children

“…The potential loss of elbow range of motion associated with increased BMI in turn could affect the ability of overweight children to function at the same physical level as non-obese children. For example, elbow range of motion is required for pitching a baseball or shooting a free-throw in basketball (7,8). Decreased range of motion could make it more difficult for overweight children to increase their daily activity as a method for BMI reduction.…”

Kinetic energy transfer during the tennis serve

“…In baseball pitching Escamilla et al [13], and Fleising et al [15], in American Football; in general throwing skills Dapena and McDonald [6], Grande [17], Mero et al…”

Forearm Trajectory Measurement during Pitching Motion using an Elbow-mounted Sensor

“…Many researchers have studied throwing motions relating to the measurement system and biomechanical analysis of the shoulder joint (2) - (4) . In such studies, motion capture systems using video images acquired from several cameras are widely used (2), (5), (6) . It is difficult, however, to measure the high-speed motion of the elbow and wrist around the ball release time even though the motion capture system provides high precision of measurement.…”