Search Results (3)

Ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) injuries are a major concern in baseball because of repetitive valgus stress from overhead throwing, often leading to surgical intervention. In recent years, UCL reconstruction has become increasingly frequent. Although this procedure has a high success rate, revision surgery is often required. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the incidence of UCL surgery and revision procedures in baseball players, explored potential risk factors, and identified areas for future research. A comprehensive search of PubMed, Google Scholar, CINAHL, Embase, and SportDiscus databases was conducted for studies published between 2014 and 2024. Studies reporting the incidence of primary and revision UCL reconstructions in baseball players were included. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the Methodological Index for Non-randomized Studies (MINORS). A meta-analysis using RevMan 5.4 software calculated the pooled proportions and 95% confidence intervals for UCL surgery and revision rates. Six studies met the inclusion criteria, including data from 27,366 baseball players. The pooled incidence of UCL surgery was 4.52% (95% CI: 4.20–4.84%), and the pooled incidence of revision surgery was 8.42% (95% CI: 5.49–11.35%). Statistical analyses showed high heterogeneity (I² = 100%, p < 0.00001). Sensitivity analyses were performed to assess the robustness of the results, both in the incidence of surgery and in the revision surgery. UCL surgery is a common procedure in baseball, and a notable proportion of athletes require revision. Further research is necessary to identify the risk factors and develop preventive strategies to reduce UCL injury rates. Full article

Throwing arm injuries in baseball are related to throwing arm weakness. This case study investigated potential arm strength improvements owed to wearing a specialized intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) to prime arm strength prior to simulated competition. The randomized study design involving 13 collegiate pitchers who threw 3 bullpens of 40 pitches with visual encouragement through an LED-integrated radar gun unit wearing their typical belt, an IAP belt at regular length, and the IAP belt with 2 in cinch. A portable dynamometer evaluated throwing arm strength prior to bullpen sessions wearing each belt type to denote strength responses. Participant-specific data presented in this exploratory study indicated potential benefits for increasing throwing arm strength. Overall, higher throwing arm strength scores were seen for the majority athletes when wearing the IAP belt. As a result, this exploratory case study should inspire future research evaluating IAP influences on throwing arm strength, as elevated proximal stabilization of the core creates a new avenue for improved throwing arm function among baseball pitchers. Full article

Baseball pitchers must reduce batters’ decision-making ability, locating pitches in zones where batters make weak contact. The purpose of this case study was to investigate potential pitching performance improvements when wearing a specialized intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) belt. Thirteen collegiate pitchers were randomly assigned to three bullpens of 40 pitches with visual encouragement from an integrated LED screen and a portable radar. Pitchers wore their typical belt, an IAP belt at regular length, and the IAP belt with a two-inch cinch for separate bullpen conditions. Fastball and change-up velocities, their average differences in velocity, and strike-throwing percentages were indexed and analyzed. A repeated measures ANOVA with an a priori of 0.05 and Tukey’s post hoc analyses evaluated significant differences amongst the case study population across pitch velocity, command, and deception, which was measured as the average velocity difference between fastballs and change-ups. Given the small sample size, subject-specific data were presented and showed the majority of pitchers threw faster, had greater accuracy, and displayed greater velocity ranges between fastballs and change-ups. The subject-specific results in this case study indicated that most pitchers improved performance across velocity, command, and deception metrics with the use of an intra-abdominal pressure belt designed to be worn in competition. Full article