Using Biomechanical Devices in Elite Baseball Pitchers: A Preliminary Feasibility Study
# Background Baseball clinicians, coaches, and players have sought to leverage biomechanical devices to inform training and prevent injury. However, discerning feasibility is sparse for novel biomechanical devices to inform adoption of these technologies. The objective of this study was to investig...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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North American Sports Medicine Institute
2025-05-01
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| Series: | International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.26603/001c.134013 |
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| _version_ | 1850173499481522176 |
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| author | Chelsea L. Martin Kelly R. Evenson Justin B. Moore Stephen Marshall Jakob Wolf Garrett Fernandez Kristen Nicholson Franco Impellizzeri Patrick Ward Ian Shrier Nathan O'Connell Charles Thigpen Ellen Shanley Daniel Kline Matthew Hartshorne Garrett Bullock |
| author_facet | Chelsea L. Martin Kelly R. Evenson Justin B. Moore Stephen Marshall Jakob Wolf Garrett Fernandez Kristen Nicholson Franco Impellizzeri Patrick Ward Ian Shrier Nathan O'Connell Charles Thigpen Ellen Shanley Daniel Kline Matthew Hartshorne Garrett Bullock |
| author_sort | Chelsea L. Martin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | # Background
Baseball clinicians, coaches, and players have sought to leverage biomechanical devices to inform training and prevent injury. However, discerning feasibility is sparse for novel biomechanical devices to inform adoption of these technologies. The objective of this study was to investigate the uptake (i.e., proportion of initial use) and adherence (i.e., proportion of continued use) of wearable and portable biomechanical devices among collegiate baseball pitchers during a single summer training season.
# Methods
Uptake, adherence and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated for a commercially available biomechanical pitching sleeve during practice, and use of a force plate during a countermovement jump task for a minimum of one time per week per the established protocol. Potential non-response bias analyses were assessed descriptively by comparing medical history, clinical measures, and pitching patterns among athletes that continued and discontinued using the biomechanical devices.
# Results
Twenty-two pitchers participated. The uptake for initiating force plate use was 0.32 (95%CI: 0.14, 0.55); uptake for the pitching sleeve was 0.55 (0.32, 0.76). Adherence for force plate use was 0.46 (0.31, 0.70), compared to 0.13 (0.09, 0.17) for the pitch sleeve. Potential non-response bias analysis revealed pitchers with no previous upper extremity injury in the prior season (n=14) were more likely to use the pitching sleeve beyond the first session (43%) than those who had reported a previous season UE injury at study baseline (13%).
# Conclusions
Variable uptake and adherence was observed across devices and players. Addressing barriers/facilitators to increase uptake and adherence is necessary to inform future studies on the effect of these devices on preventing injury using training load, kinetic, and kinematic data monitoring. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-c80b4e6cb0f24323bd99ed4640ecacb2 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2159-2896 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | North American Sports Medicine Institute |
| record_format | Article |
| series | International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy |
| spelling | doaj-art-c80b4e6cb0f24323bd99ed4640ecacb22025-08-20T02:19:50ZengNorth American Sports Medicine InstituteInternational Journal of Sports Physical Therapy2159-28962025-05-0120510.26603/001c.134013Using Biomechanical Devices in Elite Baseball Pitchers: A Preliminary Feasibility StudyChelsea L. MartinKelly R. EvensonJustin B. MooreStephen MarshallJakob WolfGarrett FernandezKristen NicholsonFranco ImpellizzeriPatrick WardIan ShrierNathan O'ConnellCharles ThigpenEllen ShanleyDaniel KlineMatthew HartshorneGarrett Bullock# Background Baseball clinicians, coaches, and players have sought to leverage biomechanical devices to inform training and prevent injury. However, discerning feasibility is sparse for novel biomechanical devices to inform adoption of these technologies. The objective of this study was to investigate the uptake (i.e., proportion of initial use) and adherence (i.e., proportion of continued use) of wearable and portable biomechanical devices among collegiate baseball pitchers during a single summer training season. # Methods Uptake, adherence and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated for a commercially available biomechanical pitching sleeve during practice, and use of a force plate during a countermovement jump task for a minimum of one time per week per the established protocol. Potential non-response bias analyses were assessed descriptively by comparing medical history, clinical measures, and pitching patterns among athletes that continued and discontinued using the biomechanical devices. # Results Twenty-two pitchers participated. The uptake for initiating force plate use was 0.32 (95%CI: 0.14, 0.55); uptake for the pitching sleeve was 0.55 (0.32, 0.76). Adherence for force plate use was 0.46 (0.31, 0.70), compared to 0.13 (0.09, 0.17) for the pitch sleeve. Potential non-response bias analysis revealed pitchers with no previous upper extremity injury in the prior season (n=14) were more likely to use the pitching sleeve beyond the first session (43%) than those who had reported a previous season UE injury at study baseline (13%). # Conclusions Variable uptake and adherence was observed across devices and players. Addressing barriers/facilitators to increase uptake and adherence is necessary to inform future studies on the effect of these devices on preventing injury using training load, kinetic, and kinematic data monitoring.https://doi.org/10.26603/001c.134013 |
| spellingShingle | Chelsea L. Martin Kelly R. Evenson Justin B. Moore Stephen Marshall Jakob Wolf Garrett Fernandez Kristen Nicholson Franco Impellizzeri Patrick Ward Ian Shrier Nathan O'Connell Charles Thigpen Ellen Shanley Daniel Kline Matthew Hartshorne Garrett Bullock Using Biomechanical Devices in Elite Baseball Pitchers: A Preliminary Feasibility Study International Journal of Sports Physical Therapy |
| title | Using Biomechanical Devices in Elite Baseball Pitchers: A Preliminary Feasibility Study |
| title_full | Using Biomechanical Devices in Elite Baseball Pitchers: A Preliminary Feasibility Study |
| title_fullStr | Using Biomechanical Devices in Elite Baseball Pitchers: A Preliminary Feasibility Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Using Biomechanical Devices in Elite Baseball Pitchers: A Preliminary Feasibility Study |
| title_short | Using Biomechanical Devices in Elite Baseball Pitchers: A Preliminary Feasibility Study |
| title_sort | using biomechanical devices in elite baseball pitchers a preliminary feasibility study |
| url | https://doi.org/10.26603/001c.134013 |
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