Game-Day Pitch and Throw Count Feasibility Using a Single Sensor to Quantify Workload in Youth Baseball Players

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Biomechanics
• Youth Athletics

Background:

• Current youth baseball pitch count recommendations lack robust scientific support.
• Existing methods overlook total daily throwing volume, including warm-ups and non-pitch throws.
• Manual pitch tracking is prone to inaccuracies and limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a wearable sensor-based method for quantifying total throws in youth baseball.
• Ensure the proposed method aligns with Little League Baseball rules and regulations.
• Provide a reliable system for measuring throwing volume in young athletes.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive laboratory study involving eleven 10-11-year-old male baseball players.
• An inertial sensor was attached to the throwing arm to capture all throws during games.
• A throw identification algorithm analyzed linear acceleration to quantify throwing intensity and volume.

Main Results:

• A total of 13,429 throws were captured over the season.
• Pitchers averaged 158 total throws on days they pitched versus 119 on non-pitching days.
• Throwing intensity distribution: 32% low, 54% medium, 15% high.

Conclusions:

• A single inertial sensor can reliably quantify total throws in youth baseball players.
• Total throwing volume is significantly higher on pitching days compared to non-pitching days.
• This method facilitates more comprehensive research into youth baseball arm injuries.