HOME HELP CONTACT US SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:
Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by MacWilliams, B. A. Articles by McFarland, E. G. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by MacWilliams, B. A. Articles by McFarland, E. G.

Characteristic Ground-Reaction Forces in Baseball Pitching

Bruce A. MacWilliams, PhD, Tony Choi, Mark K. Perezous, MD, Edmund Y. S. Chao, PhD and Edward G. McFarland, MD^,

Department of Orthopaedic Biomechanics, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland, Section of Sports Medicine and Shoulder Surgery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland

Presented at the 22nd annual meeting of the AOSSM, Lake Buena Vista, Florida, June 1996.

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Edward G. McFarland, MD, Section of Sports Medicine, 2360 W. Joppa Road, Suite 205, Lutherville, MD 21093

Overhand throwing requires contributions from and interaction between all limb segments. Most previous investigations have concentrated on the throwing arm itself, yet poor mechanics at the arm may originate in the lower extremities. Multicomponent ground-reaction forces of both the push-off and landing limbs were measured in six collegiate and one high school level baseball pitchers. Full body kinematics were simultaneously recorded to correlate phases in the pitching cycle with the force data. Pitchers were found to generate shear forces of 0.35 body weight in the direction of the pitch with the push-off leg and to resist forces of 0.72 body weight with the landing leg. Wrist velocity was found to correlate highly with increased leg drive. This study validates the clinical impression that the lower extremity is an important contributor to the throwing motion. Based on this study, strengthening of the lower extremities could be inferred to be important both to enhance performance and to avoid injury.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				O. Limpisvasti, N. S. ElAttrache, and F. W. Jobe Understanding Shoulder and Elbow Injuries in Baseball J. Am. Acad. Ortho. Surg., March 1, 2007; 15(3): 139 - 147. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. L. Werner, J. A. Guido, R. P. McNeice, J. L. Richardson, N. A. Delude, and G. W. Stewart Biomechanics of Youth Windmill Softball Pitching Am. J. Sports Med., April 1, 2005; 33(4): 552 - 560. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]