The Influence of Shoe and Cleat Type on Lower Extremity Muscle Activation in Youth Baseball Pitchers

Jacob R. Gdovin, Chip Wade, Lauren A. Luginsland, Charles C. Williams, Riley Galloway, John C. Garner

Abstract


Background: Baseball pitching is a dynamic movement where the lower extremities generate and sequentially transfer energy to the upper extremities to maximize ball velocity. The need for lower body muscular strength to produce adequate push-off and landing forces has been documented; however, the influence footwear and surface inclination has on muscle activation remains unknown. Objectives: Determine how pitching in molded cleats and turf shoes from a pitching mound and flat ground affects stride-leg muscle activation in youth baseball pitchers while determining percent activation during each pitching phase. Methods: Cross – sectional study analyzing mean muscle activity and percent activation of the vastus medialis, semitendinosus, tibialis anterior, and medial gastrocnemius on the stride-leg of 11 youth baseball pitchers when pitching fastballs. Results: Footwear did not significantly alter vastus medialis or semitendinosus muscle activation (P > 0.05). The turf shoe x pitching mound interaction elicited significantly (P < 0.05) greater mean muscle activity in the medial gastrocnemius and tibialis anterior from stride foot contact to maximum glenohumeral internal rotation. Molded cleats produced greater activation levels in the tibialis anterior on flat ground from stride foot contact (0.374 ± 0.176 mV) to ball release (0.469 ± 0.150 mV). Conclusion: Findings suggest footwear significantly alters the activity level of the ankle stabilizing musculature. Youth baseball pitchers and coaches should be cognizant of what footwear is worn on a pitching surface. Maximal activation of the tibialis anterior and medial gastrocnemius can ensure the stride leg is adequately stabilized to absorb the momentum generated by trail leg.

Keywords


Shoes, Baseball, Electromyography, Lower Extremity, Muscles, Adolescent

Full Text:

PDF

References


Allen, C., Fu, Y.-C., & Garner, J. C. (2016). The effects of a self-adapted, jaw repositioning mouthpiece and jaw

clenching on muscle activity during vertical jump and isometric clean pull performance. International Jour¬nal of Kinesiology and Sports Science, 4(3), 42-49. doi: 10.7575/aiac.ijkss.v.4n.3p.42

Campbell, B. M., Stodden, D. F., & Nixon, M. K. (2010). Lower extremity muscle activation during baseball pitching.

The Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 24(4), 964-971. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181cb241b

DiGiovine, N. M., Jobe, F. W., Pink, M., & Perry, J. (1992). An electromyographic analysis of the upper extremity in

pitching. Journal of Elbow Surgery, 1(1), 15-25. doi: 10.1016/S1058-2746(09)80011-6

Dillman, C. J., Fleisig, G. S., & Andrews, J. R. (1993). Biomechanics of pitching with emphasis

upon shoulder kinematics. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 18(2), 402-408. doi: 10.2519/jospt.1993.18.2.402

Donahue, P. T., Wilson, S. J., Williams, C. C., Valliant, M., & Garner, J. C. (2019). Impact of hydration status on

electromyography and ratings of perceived exertion during the vertical jump. International Journal of Kinesiology and Sports Science, 7(4), 1-8. doi: 10.7575/aiac.ijkss.v.7n.4p.1

Driscoll, H., Kelley, J., Kirk, B., Koerger, H., & Haake, S. (2015). Measurement of studded shoe–

surface interaction metrics during in situ performance analysis. Sports Engineering, 18(2), 105-113. doi: 10.1007/s12283-014-0163-1

Fleisig, G. S., Andrews, J. R., Dillman, C. J., & Escamilla, R. F. (1995). Kinetics of baseball pitching with implications

about injury mechanisms. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 23(2), 233-239. doi: 10.1177/036354659502300218

Fleisig, G. S., Escamilla, R. F., Andrews, J. R., Matsuo, T., & Barrentine, S. W. (1996). Kinematic and kinetic

comparison between baseball pitching and football passing. Journal of Applied Biomechanics, 12(2), 207-224. doi: 10.1123/jab.12.2.207

Gdovin, J. R., Wade, C., Williams, C. C., Luginsland, L. A., Wilson, S. J., & Garner, J. C. (2019). Impact of shoe and

cleat type on youth baseball pitching biomechanics. Journal of Sports Biomechanics. Advance online publication. doi: 10.1080/14763141.2019.1679243

Gowan, I. D., Jobe, F. W., Tibone, J. E., Perry, J., & Moynes, D. R. (1987). A comparative electromyographic

analysis of the shoulder during pitching. Professional versus amateur pitchers. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 15(6), 586-590. doi: 10.1177/036354658701500611

Hermens, H. J., Freriks, B., Disselhorst-Klug, C., & Rau, G. (2000). Development of recommendations for SEMG

sensors and sensor placement procedures. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, 10(5), 361–374. doi: 10.1016/s1050-6411(00)00027-4

Jobe, F. W., Moynes, D. R., Tibone, J. E., & Perry, J. (1984). An EMG analysis of the shoulder in pitching. A second

report. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 12(3), 218-220. doi: 10.1177/036354658401200310

Jobe, F. W., Tibone, J. E., Perry, J., & Moynes, D. (1983). An EMG analysis of the shoulder in throwing and

pitching. A preliminary report. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 11(1), 3-5. doi: 10.1177/036354658301100102

Little League, & International, L. L. (2020). Are cleats with metal spikes permitted? Little League.

https://www.littleleague.org/help-center/are-cleats-with-metal-spikes-permitted/.

Lyman, S., & Fleisig, G. S. (2005). Baseball injuries. In: N. Maffulli, & D.J. Caine (Eds.) Epidemiology of pediatric

sports injuries: Team sports (Vol. 49, pp. 9-30). Basel, Switzerland: Karger

MacWilliams, B. A., Choi, T., Perezous, M. K., Chao, E. Y., & McFarland, E.G. (1998). Characteristic ground-

reaction forces in baseball pitching. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 26(1), 66-71. doi: 10.1177/03635465980260014101

McNally M.P., Borstad J.D., Oñate J.A., & Chaudhari A.M. (2015). Stride leg ground reaction forces predict throwing

velocity in adult recreational baseball pitchers. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 29(10), 2708-2715. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000000937

Neal R.J., Snyder C.W., & Kroonenberg P.M. (1991). Individual differences and segment interactions in throwing.

Human Movement Science, 10(6), 653-676. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/0167-9457(91)90021-O

Nissen, C. W., Solomito, M., Garibay, E., Õunpuu, S., & Westwell , M. (2013). A biomechanical comparison of

pitching from a mound versus flat ground in adolescent baseball pitchers. Sports Health, 5(6), 530-536. doi: 10.1177/1941738113502918

Nissen, C. W., Westwell, M., Ounpuu, S., Patel, M., Tate, J. P., Pierz, K., Burns, J. P., & Bicos, J. (2007).

Adolescent baseball pitching technique: A detailed three-dimensional biomechanical analysis. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 39(8), 1347-1357. doi: 10.1249/mss.0b013e318064c88e

Oliver G.D. & Keeley D.W. (2010). Gluteal muscle group activiation and its relationship with pelvis and torso

kinemtaics in high-school baseball pitchers. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 24(11), 3015-3022. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e3181c865ce

Oyama S. & Myers J.B. (2018). The relationship between the push off ground reaction force and ball speed in high

school baseball pitchers. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 32(5), 1324-1328. doi: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000001980.

Putnam, C.A. (1993). Sequential motions of body segments in striking and throwing skills: descriptions and

explanations. Journal of Biomechanics, 26, 125-135. doi: 10.1016/0021-9290(93)90084-r.

Seroyer, S. T., Nho, S. J., Bach, B. R., Bush-Joseph, C. A., Nicholson, G. P., & Romeo, A. A. (2010). The kinetic chain

in overhand pitching: Its potential role for performance enhancement and injury prevention. Sports Health, 2(2), 135-146. doi: 10.1177/1941738110362656

Smidebush, M., Stewart, E., Shapiro, R., Chander, H., & Knight, A. (2019). Mean muscle

activation comparison between fastballs and curveballs with respect to the upper and lower extremity. Journal of Biomechanics, 94, 187-192. doi: 10.1016/j.jbiomech.2019.07.036

Solomito, M. J., Garibay, E. J., Woods, J. R., Õunpuu, S., & Nissen, C. W. (2015). Lateral trunk lean in pitchers affects

both ball velocity and upper extremity joint moments. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 43(5), 1235-1240. doi: 10.1177/0363546515574060

Townsend, H., Jobe, F. W., Pink, M., & Perry, J. (1991). Electromyographic analysis of the glenohumeral muscles

during a baseball rehabilitation program. The American Journal of Sports Medicine, 19(3), 264-272. doi: 10.1177/036354659101900309

Tucker, W. S., Armstrong, C. W., Swartz, E. E., Campbell, B. M., & Rankin, J. M. (2005). An electromyographical

analysis of the cuff link rehabilitation device. Journal of Sport Rehabilitation, 14(2), 124-136. doi: 10.1123/jsr.14.2.124

Watkins, R. G., Dennis, S., Dillin, W. H., Schnebel, B., Schneiderman, G., Jobe, F. W., Farfan, H., Perry, J., & Pink

M. (1989). Dynamic EMG analysis of torque transfer in professional baseball pitchers. Spine, 14(4), 404-408. doi: 10.1097/00007632-198904000-00011

Werner, S. L., Fleisig, G. S., Dillman, C. J., & Andrews, J. R. (1993). Biomechanics of the elbow during baseball

pitching. Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 17(6), 274-278. doi: 10.2519/jospt.1993.17.6.274

Wilson, S. J., Williams, C. C., Gdovin, J. R., Eason, J. D., Luginsland, L. A., Hill, C. M., Chander, H., Wade, C., &

Garner, J. C. (2018). The influence of an acute bout of whole body vibra¬tion on human postural control responses. Journal of Motor Behavior, 50(5), 590–597. doi: 10.1080/00222895.2017.1383225

Yamanouchi, T. (1998). EMG analysis of the lower extremities during pitching in high-school baseball. Kurume

Medical Journal, 45(1), 21-25. doi: 10.2739/kurumemedj.45.21




DOI: https://doi.org/10.7575/aiac.ijkss.v.10n.1p.44

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Bookmark and Share


Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

2013-2024 (CC-BY) Australian International Academic Centre PTY.LTD.

International Journal of Kinesiology and Sports Science

You may require to add the 'aiac.org.au' domain to your e-mail 'safe list’ If you do not receive e-mail in your 'inbox'. Otherwise, you may check your 'Spam mail' or 'junk mail' folders.