INFLUENCE OF DIFFERENT SHOULDER ABDUCTION ANGLES DURING BASEBALL PlTCHING ON 'THROWING PERFORMANCE AND JOINT KINETICS

The relationships between shoulder abduction angle at ball release and wrist velocity and several injury-related kinetic parameters were investigated. Based on kinematic data of nine overhand and three-quarter-hand pitchers, several pitching motions with different shoulder abduction angles from the original were simulated. The wrist velocity and several injury-related kinetic parameters for the motion with 90 degree shoulder abduction angle at ball release were compared with those for the motions with other shoulder abduction angles. The 90 degree abduction angle maximised wrist velocity and decreased elbow joint kinetics, but did not always decrease shoulder joint kinetics