This week I want to continue to build on the concept of energy flow. In the article Pelvis and Trunk Energy Flow in Collegiate Softball Pitchers With and Without Upper Extremity Pain, Bordelon et al. (2022) measured 54 collegiate pitchers’ energy flow. They also surveyed the pitchers for any pain they were experiencing. They split the sample into pitchers with pain (n=17) and pitchers without pain (n=37). They measured energy outflow at the pelvis and trunk during the acceleration phase (from the top of the backswing to release) to determine predictors of pain. They found:
- There was no difference in energy flow between the pain/no pain groups
- There was no difference in pitch velocity between the pain/no pain groups
Implications: The most important takeaway from this study is that a pitcher’s body is very complex and adaptable. There are clear compensation patterns that allow the pitcher to maintain velocity and energy flow, which is likely why coaches continue to throw injured pitchers into their lineups. I believe pain is the best indicator that something is wrong and when a pitcher is hurting, treat them and look for their compensations. Also, it is likely that college pitchers that are injured to the point that they cannot maintain their performance were not allowed to participate in this study. Therefore, they may not have gotten a representative injured pitcher sample. Furthermore, in energy flow research, there are no findings that suggest pelvic energy flow is related to anything. This also holds true for studies regarding pelvic angular velocity. I say this because I think the researchers should have chosen the trunk, upper arm and forearm as the energy flow at these segments have been connected to velocity and isometric strength.
People to Follow
I always love great conversations with people who think on the cutting edge. This week I want to highlight Tyler Jeske. Tyler was a minor league hitting coach when we first connected, he’s also one of the founders of SlugFest. Our conversations have helped me as a pitching coach from the standpoint of thought provocation. And as a bonus, he’s a softball coach now! Check him out.