Abstract
For pitchers, the shoulder is a common injury site (e.g., tendonitis, strains, tears) that can be put at greater injury risk without proper recovery. There is scarce information regarding the impact of practice conditions on soreness levels specific to regions of the shoulder that can be used to monitor the risk of overuse. PURPOSE: Determine the effects of practice conditions, time, and shoulder region (anterior vs. posterior) on soreness levels. METHODS: Thirty-seven adolescent high school and junior high softball pitchers were randomly designated to one of two practice conditions (Traditional vs. Constraints-Led Approach). The participants in the Constraints-Led Approach (CLA) (age 14.9 ± 1.2, height (m) 1.7 ± 0.1, mass (kg) 65.8 ± 11.1), practiced using a series of ropes to guide the development of break on the ball. The Traditional group (age 14.5 ± 1, height (m) 1.7 ± 0.1, mass (kg) 65.4 ± 11.4), practiced while using instructional cues that included pitching arm mechanics. The overall session included five blocks. A pre-test, three blocks of 15 drop ball pitches, and finally a post/transfer test for a total of 75 pitches. Each block was followed by a three-minute rest period. Participants were then surveyed for anterior and posterior shoulder soreness levels using a VAS scale at the 24- and 48-hour marks after the practice session. A linear-mixed effects model was used to assess soreness levels across time, region, and condition. Pitching experience and months in season were compared using a Mann-Whitney U test. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant two or three-way interactions (ps > 0.14). There was a significant main effect for region F(1,103) = 12.63, p < .001, with the posterior shoulder showing greater soreness across time points and conditions (descriptive raw values: 17.1 ± 22.3 and 9.96 ± 14.2, respectively). There were no significant main effects for time F(1,103) = 2.47, p = . 12, or condition F(1,35) = 0.01, p = .91. No differences were observed between groups for months in season (U = 151, p = 0.78) and years of pitching experience (U = 126, p = 0.16). CONCLUSION: Pitchers reported experiencing greater posterior shoulder soreness. These findings indicate significant engagement of antagonist muscle groups used in softball pitching upon release of the ball. Monitoring pitch count and frequency combined with understanding the demands on the posterior shoulder could help direct recommendations for recovery specific to shoulder region after learning a new pitch type.
Recommended Citation
Betancurth, Alyah Alexandra; Fava, Anthony W.; and Sauers, Emily
(2026)
"Self-Reported Soreness Levels Differ in Shoulder Region After Learning a New Pitch in Fastpitch Softball,"
International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings: Vol. 2:
Iss.
18, Article 74.
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijesab/vol2/iss18/74