The arms of baseball pitchers have to endure massive forces in order launch balls up to 100 miles per hour and injuries are common. A team at Ohio State University is using high tech tools, and the world’s most advanced pitcher mound, to gather a myriad of data points in order to better understand why injuries occur and what really happens to the human body during pitching.
The researchers combine on-field data, such as pitch count, games played, and such, with lab data that includes 3D motion tracking of pitches and detecting forces applied across the lower body. A mound with pressure sensors was created that is used along with cameras and position markers to record the movement of the pitcher’s body and what it is experiencing.
The on-field data, including that gathered using an electronic armband that keeps a pitch count and what the pitcher inputs manually about other activities, is being looked at along with the pitcher’s body motion as assessed inside the lab. The researchers hope this will help them point to what causes injuries and what can be done to avoid them.
Here’s a video report from Ohio State about the research:
Via: Ohio State…