Most high school baseball pitchers are using weighted ball throwing programs to increase ball velocity: crosssectional analysis of US high school pitchers

Eric N Bowman; Christopher L Camp; Brandon J Erickson; Michael T Freehill; Matthew V Smith; Eric Madia; Mike Matthews; Sam Simister; Cade Wheelwright; Hiroaki Ishikawa; Peter N Chalmers

doi:10.1016/j.xrrt.2023.01.005

Most high school baseball pitchers are using weighted ball throwing programs to increase ball velocity: crosssectional analysis of US high school pitchers

JSES Rev Rep Tech. 2023 Feb 2;3(2):137-141. doi: 10.1016/j.xrrt.2023.01.005. eCollection 2023 May.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA.
² Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
³ Rothman Orthopaedic Institute, New York, NY, USA.
⁴ Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA, USA.
⁵ Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Washington University in Saint Louis, MO, USA.
⁶ Athletes Warehouse, Pleasantville, NY, USA.
⁷ Registered Physical Therapists, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.
⁸ Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.

Abstract

Background: Weighted-ball velocity training programs are popular but may be associated with increased injury risk. The purpose of this study was to determine the current frequency of these programs, as well as their association with range of motion, strength, velocity, injury, and utilization in high school baseball pitchers.

Methods: This was a multicenter, prospective, community-based study including high schools from the Northeastern, Southeastern, Midwestern, and Western regions of the United States. Preseason pitchers were surveyed about their use of weighted ball velocity programs and history of injury. Preseason pitchers underwent standardized physical examinations and pitch velocity was measured. During a single high school season, pitch counts and injury incidence were prospectively collected.

Results: In total, 115 pitchers were recruited, of whom 63% had participated in a weighted ball program. There were no differences in range of motion or strength between groups who used weighted balls and those who did not. Pitchers that utilized weighted ball programs demonstrated a higher average fastball velocity (114.26 vs. 106.22 km/h [71 vs. 66 mph]; P < .001) as well as peak fastball velocity (115.87 vs. 109.44 km/h [72 vs. 68 mph]; P = .001) compared to those that did not use weighted ball programs. Pitchers that utilized weighted ball programs were no more likely to be single-sport athletes (44%) than those who were multisport athletes (49%, P = .667). Within the group who had used a weighted ball program 29% (13/45) reported a history of injury and within the group who had not used a weighted ball program 25% (10/40) reported a history of injury (P = .687). As only a single injury occurred in the entire cohort, comparison of injury rates could not be completed.

Conclusion: In this prospective study, the majority of high school pitchers reported using weighted ball programs to increase velocity, and these programs were associated with increased average and peak velocity compared to pitchers who did not use weighted ball programs. There were no significant differences in injury history between the 2 groups. Further study is necessary to understand the injury risk associated with weighted ball programs.

Keywords: Baseball; Overhead; Pitching; Shoulder; Throwing; Weighted ball.