Comparison of the “Tall and Fall” Versus “Drop and Drive” Pitching Styles: Analysis of Major League Baseball Pitchers During a Single Season

Details

• Personal Author:
  Baker BA ; Beaudry AG ; Beaudry MF ; Bradley JP ; Chetlin RD ; Edwards A ; Haynes DE ; Holland G ; Jacobson BR
• Description:
  Background: Previous research has documented the proportion of "tall and fall" (TF) and "drop and drive" (DD) pitching styles among Major League Baseball (MLB) pitchers who underwent ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction (UCLR). The proportion of these 2 styles among all MLB pitchers remains unknown. Purpose: To determine the proportion of the TF and DD pitching styles in all rostered MLB pitchers during a single season as well as the proportion of TF and DD pitchers who sustained an upper extremity (UE) injury and those who underwent UCLR. Study Design: Cross-sectional study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods: Pitcher demographic characteristics from the 2019 MLB season and pitching information were obtained via open-access sources. Two-dimensional video analysis was used to categorize the included pitchers into TF and DD groups. Statistical comparisons and contrasts were made using 2-tailed t tests, chi-square tests, and Pearson correlation analyses as appropriate. Results: Of the 660 MLB rostered pitchers in 2019 (age, 27.39 +/- 3.51 years; body mass index, 26.34 +/- 2.47 kg/m2; fastball velocity, 150.49 +/- 3.99 kph [93.51 +/- 2.48 mph]), 412 (62.4%) pitchers used the TF style and 248 (37.6%) pitchers used the DD style. Significantly more UE injuries were seen in the TF group compared with the DD group (112 vs 38 injuries, respectively; P < .001). Twelve pitchers underwent UCLR (TF, 10; DD, 2), representing a 1.8% UCLR rate among all pitchers. This was a second surgery for 2 pitchers, both of whom used the TF pitching style. Significantly more pitchers in the TF group than the DD group had undergone UCLR before 2019 (135 vs 56 pitchers, respectively; P = .005). Conclusion: The results of the present study demonstrated a higher prevalence of both UE injury and prior UCLR in TF pitchers. Further research is needed to explore the potential association between pitching style and UE injury. [Description provided by NIOSH]
• Subjects:
  Athletes Biomechanical Phenomena Musculoskeletal System Occupational Health Safety
• Keywords:
  Arm Injuries Author Keywords: Elbow Biomechanics Cross Sectional Studies Major League Baseball Pitching Style Sports Injuries Sports Medicine Ulnar Collateral Ligament Reconstruction Upper Extremities Upper Extremity Injury

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• ISSN:
  2325-9671
• Document Type:
  Text
• Genre:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  OSHA Region 3 ; OSHA Region 6 ; Pennsylvania ; Texas ; West Virginia
• CIO:
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
• Division:
  HELD - Health Effects Laboratory Division
• Topic:
  Workplace Safety & Health
• Location:
  North America
• Volume:
  11
• Issue:
  5
• NIOSHTIC Number:
  nn:20067709
• Citation:
  Orthop J Sports Med 2023 May; 11(5):23259671231173691
• Contact Point Address:
  Mason F. Beaudry, PA-C, MS, Baylor Scott & White Medical Center, 100 Hillcrest Medical Boulevard, Waco, TX 76712, USA
• Email:
  mason.beaudry@bswhealth.org
• Federal Fiscal Year:
  2023
• Peer Reviewed:
  True
• Source Full Name:
  Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine
• Collection(s):
  National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:b1cf9a6ba70714ec81bdaa550206eca93b8dbcbab50df0029520bc81ad25cfd1b78f9c5bf26a2d150a798a49fe00c112247802e1657084c2760f337e86272fed
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/229972/cdc_229972_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 407.05 KB ]