The association among ball speed and the rotation of pivot leg, pelvis, and trunk separation in collegiate baseball pitchers

In baseball pitching, pivot leg is known to play an important role in linear acceleration down the mound. However, its contribution to the rotational movements of the proximal segments such as pelvis and upper body remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the association between the pivot le...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Naoki Wada, Mitsuo Otsuka, Yuta Yamaguchi, Takehiko Tsuji, Takatoshi Kojo, Tokuyoshi Kono, Tetsunari Nishiyama
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-02-01
Series:Heliyon
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844025006942
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1832573071036252160
author Naoki Wada
Mitsuo Otsuka
Yuta Yamaguchi
Takehiko Tsuji
Takatoshi Kojo
Tokuyoshi Kono
Tetsunari Nishiyama
author_facet Naoki Wada
Mitsuo Otsuka
Yuta Yamaguchi
Takehiko Tsuji
Takatoshi Kojo
Tokuyoshi Kono
Tetsunari Nishiyama
author_sort Naoki Wada
collection DOAJ
description In baseball pitching, pivot leg is known to play an important role in linear acceleration down the mound. However, its contribution to the rotational movements of the proximal segments such as pelvis and upper body remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the association between the pivot leg rotation, pelvis rotation, and trunk separation during the stride phase of baseball pitching in relation to ball speed. Three-dimensional kinematic data from 18 collegiate baseball pitchers were obtained during the maximal-effort pitches. The rotational angles and angular velocities of the pivot leg, pelvis, and upper trunk in the stride phase of pitching delivery were calculated to investigate the association of pivot leg rotation with pelvis rotation, upper trunk rotation, and trunk separation. The results showed that the rotational angular displacement of the pivot leg was positively correlated with pelvis rotation and negatively correlated with trunk separation during the stride phase and at the instant of stride foot contact. The peak rotation angular velocity of the pivot leg was also negatively correlated with trunk separation angle at stride foot contact. The trunk separation angle at the stride foot contact was the only variable that was positively correlated with ball speed. These results indicated that the pivot leg and pelvis behave similarly in terms of rotational movement in the transverse plane. Achieving greater trunk separation at stride foot contact, mainly by increasing pelvis rotation in association with pivot leg rotation, might increase ball speed. These findings can be useful when the coaches give instructions to modify the rotational mechanics of their pitchers.
format Article
id doaj-art-43e919bb32304357868f58ed43ef6267
institution Kabale University
issn 2405-8440
language English
publishDate 2025-02-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Heliyon
spelling doaj-art-43e919bb32304357868f58ed43ef62672025-02-02T05:29:04ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402025-02-01113e42314The association among ball speed and the rotation of pivot leg, pelvis, and trunk separation in collegiate baseball pitchersNaoki Wada0Mitsuo Otsuka1Yuta Yamaguchi2Takehiko Tsuji3Takatoshi Kojo4Tokuyoshi Kono5Tetsunari Nishiyama6Faculty of Sport Science, Nippon Sport Science University, 1221-1 Kamoshida-cho, Aoba-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa, JapanFaculty of Sport Science, Nippon Sport Science University, 1221-1 Kamoshida-cho, Aoba-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa, Japan; Corresponding author.Faculty of Sport Science, Nippon Sport Science University, 1221-1 Kamoshida-cho, Aoba-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa, JapanFaculty of Sport Science, Nippon Sport Science University, 1221-1 Kamoshida-cho, Aoba-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa, JapanFaculty of Sport Management, Nippon Sport Science University, 1221-1 Kamoshida-cho, Aoba-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa, JapanFaculty of Medical Science, Nippon Sport Science University, 1221-1 Kamoshida-cho, Aoba-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa, JapanFaculty of Sport Science, Nippon Sport Science University, 1221-1 Kamoshida-cho, Aoba-ku, Yokohama-shi, Kanagawa, JapanIn baseball pitching, pivot leg is known to play an important role in linear acceleration down the mound. However, its contribution to the rotational movements of the proximal segments such as pelvis and upper body remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the association between the pivot leg rotation, pelvis rotation, and trunk separation during the stride phase of baseball pitching in relation to ball speed. Three-dimensional kinematic data from 18 collegiate baseball pitchers were obtained during the maximal-effort pitches. The rotational angles and angular velocities of the pivot leg, pelvis, and upper trunk in the stride phase of pitching delivery were calculated to investigate the association of pivot leg rotation with pelvis rotation, upper trunk rotation, and trunk separation. The results showed that the rotational angular displacement of the pivot leg was positively correlated with pelvis rotation and negatively correlated with trunk separation during the stride phase and at the instant of stride foot contact. The peak rotation angular velocity of the pivot leg was also negatively correlated with trunk separation angle at stride foot contact. The trunk separation angle at the stride foot contact was the only variable that was positively correlated with ball speed. These results indicated that the pivot leg and pelvis behave similarly in terms of rotational movement in the transverse plane. Achieving greater trunk separation at stride foot contact, mainly by increasing pelvis rotation in association with pivot leg rotation, might increase ball speed. These findings can be useful when the coaches give instructions to modify the rotational mechanics of their pitchers.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844025006942BiomechanicsPitchingLower limbTorsoBall speed
spellingShingle Naoki Wada
Mitsuo Otsuka
Yuta Yamaguchi
Takehiko Tsuji
Takatoshi Kojo
Tokuyoshi Kono
Tetsunari Nishiyama
The association among ball speed and the rotation of pivot leg, pelvis, and trunk separation in collegiate baseball pitchers
Heliyon
Biomechanics
Pitching
Lower limb
Torso
Ball speed
title The association among ball speed and the rotation of pivot leg, pelvis, and trunk separation in collegiate baseball pitchers
title_full The association among ball speed and the rotation of pivot leg, pelvis, and trunk separation in collegiate baseball pitchers
title_fullStr The association among ball speed and the rotation of pivot leg, pelvis, and trunk separation in collegiate baseball pitchers
title_full_unstemmed The association among ball speed and the rotation of pivot leg, pelvis, and trunk separation in collegiate baseball pitchers
title_short The association among ball speed and the rotation of pivot leg, pelvis, and trunk separation in collegiate baseball pitchers
title_sort association among ball speed and the rotation of pivot leg pelvis and trunk separation in collegiate baseball pitchers
topic Biomechanics
Pitching
Lower limb
Torso
Ball speed
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844025006942
work_keys_str_mv AT naokiwada theassociationamongballspeedandtherotationofpivotlegpelvisandtrunkseparationincollegiatebaseballpitchers
AT mitsuootsuka theassociationamongballspeedandtherotationofpivotlegpelvisandtrunkseparationincollegiatebaseballpitchers
AT yutayamaguchi theassociationamongballspeedandtherotationofpivotlegpelvisandtrunkseparationincollegiatebaseballpitchers
AT takehikotsuji theassociationamongballspeedandtherotationofpivotlegpelvisandtrunkseparationincollegiatebaseballpitchers
AT takatoshikojo theassociationamongballspeedandtherotationofpivotlegpelvisandtrunkseparationincollegiatebaseballpitchers
AT tokuyoshikono theassociationamongballspeedandtherotationofpivotlegpelvisandtrunkseparationincollegiatebaseballpitchers
AT tetsunarinishiyama theassociationamongballspeedandtherotationofpivotlegpelvisandtrunkseparationincollegiatebaseballpitchers
AT naokiwada associationamongballspeedandtherotationofpivotlegpelvisandtrunkseparationincollegiatebaseballpitchers
AT mitsuootsuka associationamongballspeedandtherotationofpivotlegpelvisandtrunkseparationincollegiatebaseballpitchers
AT yutayamaguchi associationamongballspeedandtherotationofpivotlegpelvisandtrunkseparationincollegiatebaseballpitchers
AT takehikotsuji associationamongballspeedandtherotationofpivotlegpelvisandtrunkseparationincollegiatebaseballpitchers
AT takatoshikojo associationamongballspeedandtherotationofpivotlegpelvisandtrunkseparationincollegiatebaseballpitchers
AT tokuyoshikono associationamongballspeedandtherotationofpivotlegpelvisandtrunkseparationincollegiatebaseballpitchers
AT tetsunarinishiyama associationamongballspeedandtherotationofpivotlegpelvisandtrunkseparationincollegiatebaseballpitchers