Biomechanics of Throwing

Jose Angelo S. Sta Maria, PTRP

University of the Philippines Sports Physical Therapy Center
Pitch
• Act of throwing the baseball
towards the batter or home
plate during the gameplay

• Sets the rhythm that

establishes a synchronized
timing of the body parts
Throwing
• Drive from the large leg
muscles
• Rotation of the hips
• Segmental rotation of the
“trunk & shoulder girdle”
• Whip-like transfer of
momentum through
elbow extension &
through the small muscles
of the forearm
• Propulsive force to the
ball
Throwing: SIMPLEST SUMMARY
• LEG  TRUNK 
ARMS  HANDS 
BALL
Throwing
4 Main Phases
• Wind-up phase
• Cocking phase
• Acceleration phase
• Deceleration phase
(Follow Through)
Throwing
• 80% of throw:
wind-up & cocking

• 2% of throw:
acceleration

• 18% of throw:
deceleration
Throwing: Wind-up Phase
• Setting phase of pitching
motion
Throwing: Wind-up Phase
• Establishes the rhythm of
throw
• Gathers elastic force

• Major forces arise in the lower

half of the body & develop a
forward-moving “controlled
fall”
▫ Increased Lower body & core
power  Increased throwing
power
Throwing: Wind-up Phase
“purpose of wind-up is to set a
rhythm that establishes a
synchronized timing of body
parts”
Throwing: Cocking Phase
• Enable all body segments to
contribute to ball propulsion

• EARLY COCKING PHASE

• LATE COCKING PHASE
Throwing: Cocking Phase
• Scapular muscles are quite
active
▫ Need for stability of throwing
arm

• Ends with planting of lead leg ,

with body positioned for
 Throwing: Cocking Phase (Early)
• a.k.a. the Stride Phase
• The upper arm is placed into
abducted, externally rotated
position
• Internal rotators are
stretched storing elastic energy
Throwing: Cocking Phase (Late)
• Begins as the lead leg contacts
the ground and ends when the
upper arm reaches maximal
external rotation of nearly
180 degrees
Throwing: Cocking Phase
• Shoulder of Throwing Arm:
▫ Abduction to 90 ° -100°
▫ Full Horizontal Extension
▫ Maximal External Rotation
(often beyond end-range)
• Scapula of Throwing Arm:
▫ Retraction

**Anterior GH Capsule is
stretched
Throwing: Cocking Phase
• Lead Hip:
▫ Internal Rotation (as trunk
Rotates)
Throwing: Cocking Phase
• Towards the end of cocking, the ANTERIOR
RESTRAINTS are under greatest strain
Throwing: Acceleration Phase
• Begins as the arm initiates its
internal rotation and ends at
ball release
Throwing: Acceleration Phase
• Rapid release of stored elastic forces
• Concludes ball release (~ear level)
• Extremely explosive
Throwing: Acceleration Phase
RAPID RELEASE OF FORCES
1. Stored Elastic Force of the tightly bound
fibrous tissue of the GH capsule

2. Forceful Internal Rotation from the

INTERNAL ROTATORs
- subscapularis, pectoralis major, latissimus
dorsi, teres major
Throwing: Deceleration Phase
• Begins just after ball release
and ends when humeral
internal rotation ceases
Throwing: Deceleration Phase
• Shock absorption &
redistribution
• Follow-through

• Both the intrinsic & extrinsic

muscles (at significant % of
their maximum) HAVE TO
SLOW THE ARM DOWN!
Throwing: Deceleration Phase
• Very high forces!
▫ Large stress on POSTERIOR SHOULDER
STRUCTURES
▫ Large stress on ELBOW FLEXORS
Throwing: Deceleration Phase
POSTERIOR SHOULDER
• Eccentric: To counter the
internal rotation & protraction
momentum
▫ External rotators
▫ Posterior deltoids
▫ Scapular stabilizers

ELBOW FLEXORS
• Eccentric: To counter
extension momentum
Normal Biomechanics of Scapula in
Throwing
1. Provides a stable socket for the humerus
2. Scapula must protract & retract along the
thoracic wall
3. Rotates to elevate the acromion
4. Provides a base for muscle attachment
5. Provides key link in kinetic chain
Humeral Movement with Scapular
Movement
HUMERAL MOVE’T SCAPULAR MOVE’T
 ABDuction & FLEXion • Upward Rotation
 FLEXION & Pushing • Protraction
Activities • Retraction & Downward
 EXTENSION & Pulling Rotation
Activities

If this fails, efficiency of the humeral muscles decreases.

Siginificance of Scapular Biomechanics
1. Lack of Retraction of Scapula
-Decrease acceleration
2. Lack of protraction
- Increases the deceleration forces
3. Too much protraction due to tightness
- Causes impingement
4. Loss of coordination of retraction and protraction
- Unstable
5. Injury or lack of activation from UE/LE extremity
- Overload problems
Faulty Posture: UPPER QUARTER
Increased Thoracic Kyphosis
Scapular Dyskinesis
• The alteration in static scapular position &
dynamic motion (Kibler et.al., 2016)
Deltoid- Short Rotator Cuff Mechanism
Changes with Throwing Arm with
Repetitive Pitching
1. Anterior shoulder instability
2. Increased risk for injury
3. Increased carrying angle
4. Anterior & posterior GH capsular strains
Throwing: Acceleration Phase
• In both acceleration & late
cocking phases, muscle
fatigue can lead to loss of
coordination of the rotator cuff
motion, and thus, decrease
anterior shoulder wall support

• During which enormous

VALGUS stress is placed on
the throwing elbow
Rotator Cuff Tear
Weakening of the Shoulder Restraints &
Dislocation
Impingement of the Shoulder
Common Biomechanical abnormalities
specific to pitching
1. 1. Body opening up too soon
- The arm lags behind
2. Decreased Shoulder abduction
-due to fatigue
- Dropping of elbow
Changes in throwing arm with repeated
pitching
1. Increased range of External rotation
- Normal strength ratio of IR to ER is ~ 3:2

2. Increased carrying angle

3. Flexor strains and Flexion deformity

Thrower’s Paradox

“The shoulder must be loose enough to throw yet

stable enough to prevent injury.”

(Wilk et.al., 2016)

What will be the focus of treatment?