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EXAMINING PERCENT ACTIVATION CHANGES IN DIFFERENT PHASES OF THE SWING IN COLLEGIATE SOFTBALL PLAYERS

Abstract

Charles Caleb Williams1, Paul T. Donahue2, Samuel J. Wilson3, Grant Mouser4, Chris Hill5, Lauren Luginsland6, Chip Wade7, John C. Garner4. 1University of North Florida, Jacksonville, FL. 2University of Southern Mississippi, Hattisburg, MS. 3Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA. 4Troy University, Troy, AL. 5Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL. 6Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA. 7Auburn University, Auburn, AL.

Swinging a bat is a complex movement designed to maximize bat velocity along with making contact with a ball thrown by an opposing pitcher. There are a limited number of studies examining this movement pattern in female softball players. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study examined percent activation differences in electromyography of stride leg musculature (gluteus maximus (GM), vastus medialis (VMO), semitendinosus (H), tibialis anterior (TA), medial gastrocnemius (MG)) within different phases of the swing in collegiate softball athletes. METHODS: Thirteen (age: 19.5± 1.3years, height: 171.3± 9.1cm, mass: 73.1± 8.1kg) collegiate softball players participated in the current study. Each participant completed an on-deck warm-up to mimic actions completed prior to an at bat situation. Participants were asked to swing a bat at a ball placed on a tee within one of nine locations within each person’s respective strike zone. Each attempt was separated by a period of 20 seconds to allow investigators time to readjust the tee in another location of the strike zone. Each swing attempt was broken down into three distinct (stride, transition, swing) phases to analyze percent activation of the stride leg. A 1 X 3 repeated measures ANOVA with an alpha level of p<0.05 was used to examine possible differences of stride leg musculature percent activation within the three phases of the swing. RESULTS: Significant main effect differences were seen in percent activation of the GM, H, MG, and VMO over the three phases of the swing (p<.05). The greatest percent activation differences across phase were seen during the swing phase of the GM (100.16 ± 25.53%), H (89 ± 10.01%), and MG (183.35 ± 30.93%) compared to stride phase percent activation of the GM (33.82 ± 7.2 %), H (31.5± 4.54%), and MG (26.14 ± 4.77%) (p<.05). CONCULSION: Sport and strength coaches can use this data to understand sequencing of the lower extremity throughout the various phases of the swing. From there, exercises that are rotational in nature can be implemented in those distinct phases to maximize bat velocity.

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