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Study: No correlation between hip and shoulder ROM in professional baseball players
Researchers of this study found no link between range of motion in the hip and glenohumeral joint in healthy professional baseball players.
“These data suggest no clinically meaningful differences in hip [range of motion] ROM between pitchers and position players and between lead leg and stance legs of all players,” Eric L. Sauers, MD, and colleagues wrote in their study. “There is little or no relationship between hip and glenohumeral ROM in healthy professional baseball players.”
The investigators studied 99 professional baseball players with no history of hip or shoulder injury. Both dominant and nondominant hips as well as glenohumeral joints were evaluated for multiple passive ROM variables.
While glenohumeral motion had less internal rotation and greater external rotation (ER) in the throwing arm than the non-throwing arm, total glenohumeral rotational ROM was comparable between sides.
Though differences were uncovered in total hip rotational ROM and hip ER, they were not clinically significant. Clinically insignificant differences were observed in hip and glenohumeral ROM, though pitchers experienced a slightly greater variance of ROM and position players showed significantly more hip ER and total hip rotational ROM than pitchers.
“In the hip, unlike the glenohumeral joint, symmetry in ROM between player positions and dominant and nondominant sides should be expected in healthy professional baseball pitchers and position players,” Sauers and colleagues wrote. The study recommended further research be conducted on players with a history of upper extremity injury.—by Christian Ingram
Disclosure: The authors report no relevant financial disclosures.