Download PDF
Int J Sports Med 2018; 39(14): 1063-1067
DOI: 10.1055/a-0671-2170
Orthopedics & Biomechanics
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Biceps Tendon Changes in Youth Softball Pitchers Following an Acute Bout of Pitching

Jeff W. Barfield
1   School of Kinesiology, Auburn University, Auburn, United States
,
Hillary A. Plummer
2   Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, Gulf Breeze, United States
,
Adam W. Anz
2   Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, Gulf Breeze, United States
,
James R. Andrews
2   Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine, Gulf Breeze, United States
,
Gretchen D. Oliver
1   School of Kinesiology, Auburn University, Auburn, United States
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History



accepted 27 July 2018

Publication Date:
16 October 2018 (online)

Also available at
    Permissions and Reprints

Abstract

Because pitch counts do not exist for softball, pitchers may throw between 1200 and 1500 pitches over 3-day tournaments. With this workload, a common symptom among softball pitchers is anterior shoulder pain. The purpose of this study was to examine long-head biceps tendon (LHBT) changes in youth softball pitchers following an acute bout of pitching. Nineteen softball pitchers (11.89±1.2 years; 158.23±9.71 cm; 61.59±14.76 kg) participated. Images of the LHBT were obtained prior to and immediately following a simulated game protocol. Repeated-measures MANOVA was used to determine if there was a difference in LHBT size before and after the simulated game protocol. There were significant increases in both transverse thickness (t 18=–2.76, p=0.013, 95% confidence interval=–0.050 to –0.007) and longitudinal thickness (t 18=–2.64, p=0.016, 95% confidence interval=–0.060 to –0.007) of the LHBT following an acute bout of pitching. Longitudinal and transverse thickness of the biceps tendon significantly increases following an acute bout of softball throwing. These changes may indicate an inflammation response of the biceps tendon and the biceps pulley.

Key words

injury - ultrasound - windmill softball pitching
 

  • References

  • 1 Barrentine SW, Fleisig GS, Whiteside JA, Escamilla RF, Andrews JR. Biomechanics of windmill softball pitching with implications about injury mechanisms at the shoulder and elbow. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 1998; 28: 405-415
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 2 Beitzel K, Kirchhoff C, Beitzel KI, Reiser MF, Kirchhoff S. In vivo evaluation of the kinematics of the long head of the biceps tendon within the pulley: A 3T MRI motion analysis. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg 2013; 133: 1719-1725
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 3 Braun S, Millett PJ, Yongpravat C, Pault JD, Annstett T, Torry MR, Giphart JE. Biomechanical evaluation of shear force vectors leading to injury of the biceps reflection pulley: A biplane fluoroscopy study on cadaveric shoulders. Am J Sports Med 2017; 38: 1015-1024
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 4 Collinger JL, Gagnon D, Jacobson J, Impink BG, Boninger ML. Reliability of quantitative ultrasound measures of the biceps and supraspinatus tendons. Acad Radiol 2009; 16: 1424-1432
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 5 Drolet P, Martineau A, Lacroix R, Roy JS. Reliability of ultrasound evaluation of the long head of the biceps tendon. J Rehabil Med 2016; 48: 554-558
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 6 Gaskill TR, Braun S, Millett PJ. The rotator interval: Pathology and management. Arthroscopy 2011; 27: 556-567
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 7 Harriss D, MacSween A, Atkinson G. Standards for ethics in sport and exercise science resaerch: 2018 update. Int J Sports Med 2017; 38: 1126-1131
    Article in Thieme ConnectPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 8 Krajnik S, Fogarty KJ, Yard EE, Comstock RD. Shoulder injuries in US high school baseball and softball athletes, 2005–2008. Pediatrics 2010; 125: 497-501
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 9 Loosli AR, Requa RK, Garrick JG, Hanley E. Injuries to pitchers in women's collegiate fast-pitch softball. Am J Sports Med 1992; 20: 35-37
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 10 Oliver GD, Dwelly PM, Kwon YH. Kinematic motion of the windmill softball pitch in prepubescent and pubescent girls. J Strength Cond Res 2010; 24: 2400-2407
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 11 Oliver GD, Plummer HA, Keeley DW. Muscle activation patterns of the upper and lower extremity during the windmill softball pitch. J Strength Cond Res 2011; 25: 1653-1658
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 12 Oliver GD, Washington JK, Friesen KB, Anz AW, Dugas JR, Andrews JR. The effects of a pre-throwing program on collegiate NCAA Division I softball pitchers’ biomechanical measures of hip and shoulder range of motion. J OrthopTher 2018; DOI: 10.29011/2575/8241.
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 13 Popchak A, Hogaboom NS, Vyas D, Abt JP, Delitto A, Irrgang JJ, Boninger M. Acute response of the infraspinatus and biceps tendons to pitching in youth baseball. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2017; 49: 1168-1175
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 14 Powell JW, Barber-Foss KD. Injury patterns in selected high school sports: A review of the 1995–1997 seasons. J Athl Train 1999; 34: 277-284
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 15 Pytiak AV, Kraeutler MJ, Currie DW, McCarty EC, Comstock RD. An epidemiological comparison of elbow injuries among United States high school baseball and softball players, 2005–2006 through 2014–2015. Sports Health 2017; 10: 119-124
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 16 Rauh MJ, Macera CA, Ji M, Wiksten DL. Subsequent injury patterns in girls' high school sports. J Athl Train 2007; 42: 486-494
    PubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 17 Rechel JA, Yard EE, Comstock RD. An epidemiologic comparison of high school sports injuries sustained in practice and competition. J Athl Train 2008; 43: 197-204
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 18 Rojas IL, Provencher MT, Bhatia S, Foucher KC, Bach Jr. BR, Romeo AA, Wimmer MA, Verma NN. Biceps activity during windmill softball pitching: Injury implications and comparison with overhand throwing. Am J Sports Med 2009; 37: 558-565
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 19 Schroeder AN, Comstock RD, Collins CL, Everhart J, Flanigan D, Best TM. Epidemiology of overuse injuries among high-school athletes in the United States. J Pediatr 2015; 166: 600-606
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 20 Smith MV, Davis R, Brophy RH, Prather H, Garbutt J, Wright RW. Prospective player-reported injuries in female youth fast-pitch softball. Sports Health 2015; 7: 497-503
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 21 Little League Softball (2018). Little League Softball Europe & Africa Overview. Accessed October 9, 2018. Available from: https://www.littleleague.org/play-little-league/softball/europe-africa/
    PubMed
  • 22 USA Softball (2018). About USA Softbal. Accessed March 6, 2018. Available from: https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Softball/About
    PubMed
  • 23 Tardioli A, Malliaras P, Maffulli N. Immediate and short-term effects of exercise on tendon structure: Biochemical, biomechanical, and imaging responses. Br Med Bull 2012; 103: 169-202
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 24 van Drongelen S, Boninger ML, Impink BG, Khalaf T. Ultrasound imaging of acute biceps tendon changes after wheelchair sports. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2007; 88: 381-385
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 25 Walch G, Nove-Josserand L, Levigne C, Renaud E. Tears of the supraspinatus tendon associated with ‘hidden’ lesions of the rotator interval. J Shoulder Elbow Surg 1994; 3: 353-360
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 26 Werner SL, Guido JA, McNeice RP, Richardson JL, Delude NA, Stewart GW. Biomechanics of youth windmill softball pitching. Am J Sports Med 2005; 33: 552-560
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar
  • 27 Werner SL, Jones DG, Guido Jr. JA, Brunet ME. Kinematics and kinetics of elite windmill softball pitching. Am J Sports Med 2006; 34: 597-603
    CrossrefPubMedGoogle Scholar