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Updated: Sep 27, 2025

An Inertial Measurement Unit Based Method to Estimate Hip and Knee Joint Kinematics in Team Sport Athletes on the Field
Published on: May 26, 2020
Athlete body composition influences movement during sporting tasks: an analysis of softball pitchers' joint angular
Kenzie B Friesen1, Arnel Aguinaldo2, Gretchen D Oliver3
1College of Kinesiology, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.
Abstract:
Softball pitchers are often above-average size and frequently injured; therefore, it is necessary to understand how biomechanics can change according to pitcher body composition. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between joint peak angular velocities and pitch velocity, as well as examine how pitchers' joint angular velocities differ between high and healthy body-fat percentage (BF%) groups. Forty high-school and college softball pitchers (170.6 ± 6.3 cm, 75.5 ± 16.1 kg, 16 ± 2 years, 34.6 ± 7.4 BF%) completed body composition testing and were placed in one of two groups: 1) high-fat% (≥32%) or 2) healthy-fat% (<32%). Pitchers completed fastball trials. Kinematic data were tracked using an electromagnetic system synced with motion analysis software. Peak and times-series joint angular velocities were tracked over the final 101 frames of the pitch. Pitch velocity was significantly correlated with peak elbow flexion (r = .380, p = .016) and wrist flexion (r = .621, p < .001) angular velocity. A small difference in elbow joint angular velocity was found between body fat percentage groups between ball release and follow-through (SPM(t)1,38 = 3.296, p = .003). Peak joint angular velocities are related to pitch velocity and slight differences in movement patterns exist according to pitcher body fat percentage.
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