Relationship between Standing Trunk Extension Angle and Medial Elbow Injuries in Young Baseball Pitchers

Strategic Insights -

Young baseball pitchers who experience medial elbow injuries tend to have a smaller trunk extension angle during standing trunk extension, according to new research from the Kyoto Institute of Technology. The study involved 90 male baseball pitchers aged 10-12 years, who were evaluated for pitching elbow injuries using ultrasound scans and physical examination findings. The researchers found a significant association between the trunk extension angle and medial elbow injuries, suggesting that evaluating the trunk extension angle as multiple segments rather than a single rigid body is valuable.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study involved 90 male baseball pitchers aged 10-12 years from youth baseball teams in Japan.
  • The researchers used ultrasound scans and physical examination findings to evaluate pitching elbow injuries in the participants.
  • The trunk extension angle during standing trunk extension was significantly smaller among participants who were positive for medial elbow injuries on ultrasound scans (71.4° ± 10.3°) compared to those without injuries (75.7° ± 9.2°).
  • The study concluded that trunk extension angle during standing trunk extension is associated with medial elbow injuries.
  • The researchers found that evaluating the trunk extension angle as multiple segments rather than a single rigid body is valuable in assessing medial elbow injuries.

Statistics:

  • 90 male baseball pitchers participated in the study.
  • The participants were aged 10-12 years.
  • The trunk extension angle during standing trunk extension was measured in degrees (71.4° ± 10.3° for participants with medial elbow injuries and 75.7° ± 9.2° for those without injuries).
  • The study found a statistically significant difference in trunk extension angle between participants with and without medial elbow injuries (t = 2.05, p < 0.05).

Sources:

  • Kyoto Institute of Technology
  • International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2022,19(3895):3895)
  • PubMed (https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19073895)