The Abductor and Adductor Strength Characteristics of Professional Baseball Pitchers

Abstract

The purpose of this investigation was to establish a data base regarding the isokinetic muscular performance characteristics of the abductor and adductor muscles of professional baseball pitchers. Eighty-three healthy professional baseball pitchers (mean age, 22.6 years; mean weight, 199 pounds) were evaluated by use of a Biodex isokinetic dynamometer. Isokinetic tests were performed concentrically at 180 and 300 deg/sec for both the throwing and nonthrowing shoulders. The test ing protocol and test repetitions were standardized for each subject. Statistical analysis was performed using a paired t-test. Determination of the correlation coeffi cient was made at the P< 0.05 level of significance. Test results for bilateral comparisons of mean peak torque for the throwing and nonthrowing shoulders demon strated a significant difference in adductor values be tween the dominant and nondominant shoulders at both test speeds. There were no significant differences be tween extremities for the shoulder abductor muscles. The abductor-to-adductor muscle ratios between the throwing and nonthrowing shoulders were also statis tically significant at both test speeds. Throwing arm val ues were 82.5% at 180 deg/sec and 93.8% at 300 deg/ sec compared with only 66.0% and 70.3%, respectively, for the nonthrowing shoulders.