Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 26, 2026
06:52
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
Wrist kinematics during pitching. A preliminary report
A M Pappas1, W J Morgan, L A Schulz
1Department of Orthopedics, University of Massachusetts Medical Center, Worcester 01655, USA.
The American Journal of Sports Medicine
|May 1, 1995
Summary
Researchers quantified wrist motion in professional pitchers using a high-speed analysis system. Four distinct phases of wrist movement were identified during a pitch, aiding in the assessment of throwing athletes.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Sports Medicine
- Kinesiology
Background:
- Professional baseball pitchers exert significant forces on their wrists during pitching.
- Quantifying wrist motion is crucial for understanding injury mechanisms and optimizing performance.
- Previous methods lacked the precision to capture rapid wrist movements during a pitch.
Purpose of the Study:
- To modify a computerized system for high-frequency hand and wrist motion analysis.
- To identify and characterize distinct phases of wrist motion during a baseball pitch.
- To establish a quantifiable basis for assessing wrist biomechanics in throwing athletes.
Main Methods:
- A computerized hand and wrist motion analysis system was adapted to capture data at 1000 Hz.
- Wrist flexion and extension data were collected from five professional pitchers over 75 pitches.
- Wrist position versus time graphs were generated to analyze motion patterns.
Main Results:
- The analysis system provided reproducible motion data for most pitches across pitchers.
- Four distinct phases of wrist motion were identified: cocking, acceleration, deceleration, and recovery.
- Average values for wrist range of motion, phase duration, and angular velocity were calculated for each phase.
Conclusions:
- This study successfully quantified wrist motion during pitching, identifying four key phases.
- The developed methodology offers a valuable tool for assessing throwing athletes, particularly after injury or during rehabilitation.
- Quantification of wrist biomechanics can enhance injury prevention and performance enhancement strategies in baseball.
Related Concept Videos
01:15Bones of the Upper Limb: Ulna
The ulna and radius are parallel bones of the antebrachium or the forearm. The ulna lies medially and consists of a bony tip called the olecranon process at its proximal end. This hook-like projection articulates with the olecranon fossa of the humerus and forms the "hinged" ulnohumeral part of the elbow joint. This joint facilitates forearm extension and flexion while preventing its hyperextension. Similarly, the coronoid process, another bony projection on the proximal/anterior side of the...
01:09Bones of the Upper Limb: Radius
The radius is longer of the two bones that make up the human antebrachium or forearm. At the proximal end, the radius articulates with the capitulum of the humerus and the radial notch of the ulna to form the elbow joint. At the distal end, the radius articulates with the ulna via the ulnar notch, forming the distal radioulnar joint. Distally, the radius also attaches to the carpal wrist bones (scaphoid and lunate) to form the radiocarpal joint.
The radius has a nail-shaped head, and a short...
The radius has a nail-shaped head, and a short...
01:24Relative Motion Analysis - Velocity
A stroke engine has a slider-crank mechanism that converts rotational motion from the crank into linear motion of the slider or vice versa. This mechanism consists of three main parts: the crank, the connecting rod, and the slider.
When an external force is exerted, it sets the crank into a rotational movement. This, in turn, instigates the motion of the connecting rod, leading to what is referred to as a general plane motion. This process involves two key points - point A on the connecting rod...
When an external force is exerted, it sets the crank into a rotational movement. This, in turn, instigates the motion of the connecting rod, leading to what is referred to as a general plane motion. This process involves two key points - point A on the connecting rod...
01:23Motion of a Projectile
Projectile motion becomes evident when a player kicks the ball into the air. The launch angle, or the angle at which the ball is kicked, plays a crucial role in determining the trajectory of the projectile. As the ball soars through the air, influenced solely by gravity, its motion can be dissected into two independent velocity components: the horizontal and the vertical.
Horizontal motion, governed by the initial kick, maintains a constant velocity throughout the flight of the soccer ball.
Horizontal motion, governed by the initial kick, maintains a constant velocity throughout the flight of the soccer ball.
01:30Kinematic Equations for Rotation
In mechanics, when one observes a rigid body in rotational motion with constant angular acceleration, it is possible to establish equations for its rotational kinematics. This process resembles how linear kinematics are dealt with in simpler motion studies.
For instance, imagine a point A on a rigid body engaged in circular motion. The translational velocity of this particular point can be calculated by taking the time derivatives of the displacement equation, which essentially measures the...
For instance, imagine a point A on a rigid body engaged in circular motion. The translational velocity of this particular point can be calculated by taking the time derivatives of the displacement equation, which essentially measures the...
01:10Relative Motion Analysis - Acceleration
A slider-crank mechanism converts rotational motion from the crank into linear motion of the slider or vice versa. This mechanism consists of three main parts: the crank, the connecting rod, and the slider. The movement of the slider-crank is an example of general plane motion as the fluctuating angle between the crank and the connecting rod. Consider a segment AB where point A is at the end of the slider and point B is on the diametrically opposite end to point A, on a crack. The variance in...