Professional Women's Softball Injuries: An Epidemiological Cohort Study

Patel, Niraj; Bhatia, Aditya; Mullen, Chanda; Bosman, Evan; Lear, Aaron

doi:10.1097/jsm.0000000000000698

Cited by 13 publications

(25 citation statements)

References 5 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Throughout all age groups, the highest volume pitchers consistently threw disproportionately more pitches. High pitching volumes are concerning as injured softball pitchers have been shown to throw more pitches in a season (1170 vs. 661), pitches per game (78.3 vs. 58.2), and appear in more games (14.5 vs. 9.4) compared with noninjured pitchers at the high school level 27,28. When high school softball pitchers were evaluated over 1 year, pitchers reporting shoulder pain threw more pitches per year (19,195 pitches) compared with pitchers without shoulder pain (8876 pitches) 8.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pitching Behaviors in Youth Fast-Pitched Softball: High Pitching Volumes With Unequal Pitch Counts Among Pitchers are Common

Greiner

Trotter

McGuine

et al. 2022

Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: Softball is a popular sport among youth female athletes. While youth baseball has well-established, evidence-based pitching guidelines, youth softball pitching guidelines lack both evidence and enforcement. Adherence to pitch count limits in youth softball is infrequent and results in pitchers with exceedingly high pitching volumes. Methods: Pitch counts for youth fast-pitch softball teams competing for 1 consecutive year between January 2018 to December 2019 in age groups 8 and under (8U) to 14 and under (14U) were collected. Pitching volume was assessed based on individual games, single calendar days, and tournaments in which games are played on 2 or more consecutive days. Pitchers on teams were subdivided based on pitch count volumes and compared using a logarithmic transformation and geometric mean. Results: Data was collected for 10 teams from each age division resulting in analysis of 538 pitchers on 70 teams. The average pitcher threw 813 pitches per year and appeared in 20.0% of games while the average highest volume pitcher threw 2500 pitches per year and appeared in 54.5% of games. On average, the highest volume pitcher on each team threw 40% of all team pitches, while the 3 highest volume pitchers combined threw 82% of all team pitches. The average and high-volume pitcher threw pitches in 2 or more games on the same day in 37.5% and 48.6% of possible games while pitching 2 or more consecutive days in 64.0% and 79.6% of possible games, respectively. Conclusions: Softball pitchers throw high volumes of pitches while also pitching multiple days consecutively. A disparity among pitchers on softball teams exists as 40% of team pitches are thrown by 1 player and over 80% of team pitches are thrown by the top 3 pitchers. These high-volume pitchers may be engaging in unsustainable pitching practices that could predispose to injury. Level of Evidence: Level IV—cross-sectional.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Pitching Behaviors in Youth Fast-Pitched Softball: High Pitching Volumes With Unequal Pitch Counts Among Pitchers are Common

Greiner

Trotter

McGuine

et al. 2022

Journal of Pediatric Orthopaedics

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…7 A study by Werner et al 20 found that during a tournament, youth softball pitchers can throw upward of 2000 pitches in the span of 3 days, while pitching multiple games each day. This is worrisome, as a study by Patel et al 9 demonstrated that the rate of injury for pitchers increases by 5% with each additional 100 pitches thrown throughout the season.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…19 In National Professional Fast-Pitch Softball teams, it was found that the majority of position players suffered injuries acutely (59%), while the majority of pitching injuries occurred from overuse injuries that may or may not be related to other chronic injuries (62%). 9 Coaches, athletic trainers, physicians, and physical therapists should maintain a multifocal and individualized injury prevention program. 17 The purpose of this systematic review was to determine if position-specific injury prevention programs have been developed to decrease the risk of throwing-related injuries in softball players.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Injury Prevention Programs for Throwing Injuries in Softball Players: A Systematic Review

Paul

Brown

Mulcahey

2021

Sports Health: A Multidisciplinary Approach

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Context: Throwing-related injuries occur commonly in softball players. Preventative programs can be implemented to assist in identifying and correcting risk factors that could potentially lead to injury and therefore time missed from both practice and games. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine if position-specific injury prevention programs have been developed to decrease the risk of throwing-related injuries in softball players. Data Sources: A systematic review was performed using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. PubMed, PMC, and EBSCO were searched for articles on injury prevention programs using the following key terms: softball, injury prevention, throwing injuries, pitcher, and shoulder. Study Selection: Studies that involved fast-pitch softball and included female participants as well as rehabilitation programs were included. Articles that highlighted slow-pitch softball or did not include female participants were excluded. Level of Evidence: Level 1. Data Extraction: The initial search identified 1605 articles. After implementing a filter, 131 articles remained. Thirteen articles were screened out as duplicates. After screening for inclusion criteria, 7 articles remained and were included in the systematic review. Results: Decreased range of motion (ROM) in both the upper and the lower extremities, unbalanced muscular strength, and fatigue were identified as risk factors for throwing injuries in softball players. Within the upper extremity, strength and ROM of the rotator cuff muscles, biceps, and extensors of the forearm were emphasized. The main focus of the lower extremity was the strength of the gluteal muscles and ROM of the lumbopelvic-hip complex. Only 1 study detailed an injury prevention program for softball players. The prevention program outlined was generalized for all softball players and was not position specific. Conclusion: There is a paucity of information about injury prevention programs for softball players. Of the evidence analyzed, balanced strengthening of the upper and lower extremities while maintaining dynamic range of motion was frequently utilized in developing an injury prevention program.

show abstract

“…Women's softball continues to be a prominent high school sport 1,37 despite the high prevalence of upper extremity injury among softball players. 16,19,29,30,38 Specifically, softball pitchers exhibit high rates of throwing shoulder injury, accounting for approximately 60% of all pitchingrelated injuries. 36 The high rate of shoulder injury is theorized to result from overuse attributed to the dynamic and repetitive nature of softball pitching and the high shoulder stresses exhibited throughout the pitching motion.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Biomechanics Related to Increased Softball Pitcher Shoulder Stress: Implications for Injury Prevention

2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: Softball pitchers exhibit high throwing shoulder distraction force, which is a theorized mechanism of throwing shoulder overuse injury. Windmill pitching involves a variety of highly individualistic pitching styles, and certain kinematics preceding ball release likely influence the amount of shoulder stress that a pitcher accrues. Purpose: To examine the association of trunk and throwing arm kinematics, kinetics, and timing variables with peak throwing shoulder distraction force in high school softball pitchers. Study Design: Descriptive laboratory study. Methods: A total of 37 high school pitchers (mean ± SD; height, 1.71 ± 0.06 m; weight, 75.53 ± 16.12 kg; age, 16 ± 2 years) threw 10 fastball pitches at regulation distance (43 ft [13.1 m]) and with maximum effort. Kinematic data were collected at 240 Hz using an electromagnetic motion capture system synced with motion analysis software. The 3 fastest pitches were averaged and analyzed. Kinematic, kinetic, and timing variables were entered into a stepwise linear regression analysis. Results: Four variables were included in the significant model ( F4,39 = 147.51; P < .001) and explained peak shoulder distraction force ( R2 = 0.944; adjusted R2 = 0.938; SE = 0.036): increased peak elbow distraction force ( t = 19.90; P < .001) and extension moment ( t = 3.63; P = .001), as well as decreased elbow flexion velocity ( t = −2.37; P = .023) and trunk flexion at foot contact of the pitch ( t = −3.00; P = .005). Conclusion: Elbow kinetics and angular velocity, as well as trunk positioning at foot contact, are associated with peak throwing shoulder distraction force in high school softball pitchers. Clinical Relevance: Variables associated with peak throwing shoulder distraction force provide information regarding injury mechanism and coachable cues that might reduce shoulder injury risk among pitchers.

show abstract

Professional Women's Softball Injuries: An Epidemiological Cohort Study

Cited by 13 publications

References 5 publications

Pitching Behaviors in Youth Fast-Pitched Softball: High Pitching Volumes With Unequal Pitch Counts Among Pitchers are Common

Pitching Behaviors in Youth Fast-Pitched Softball: High Pitching Volumes With Unequal Pitch Counts Among Pitchers are Common

Injury Prevention Programs for Throwing Injuries in Softball Players: A Systematic Review

Biomechanics Related to Increased Softball Pitcher Shoulder Stress: Implications for Injury Prevention

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About