Pitching and Throwing Technical Analysis Program
At the University of Florida Biomechanics Laboratory, we recognize that a baseball pitch is a complex, demanding athletic movement that can cause injuries to professionals and amateurs alike. To address this challenge, we have developed the Pitching Analysis Program designed to improve overall baseball fitness, reduce baseball throwing-related injuries, and improve in-game pitching performance.
What is Pitching Analysis Program?
The goal of the Pitching Analysis Program is to determine the mechanical efficiency of a pitcher's delivery. One way for us to assist you in the understanding of baseball pitching injuries is to give you the opportunity to have us analyze your pitching mechanics. In order to do so a technique known as motion analysis will be used as a tool for evaluating your performance.
Why should I be interested in the Pitching and Throwing Technical Analysis Program?
After testing the data collected can be used for evaluating pitching and throwing performance. These results will allow our experts to analyze the faulty mechanics in the pitching motion, which after being identified can be remedied with the help of our experienced coaches. Finally on the preventative side of the analysis, these results can also be used to implement specific exercise regiments minimizing the risk of potential injuries.
What can I expect from the Pitching and Throwing Technical Analysis Program?
Our biomechanical evaluations are typically run in this fashion:
The pitcher signs a consent form and fills out some demographic information about themselves and their health history.
The pitcher goes through their pre-game routine (stretching, etc.)
Reflective markers are placed onto the joints of the pitcher's body as reference points for our infrared cameras.
The pitcher warms up.
The pitcher goes on indoor pitching mound and throws approximately 12 pitches.
Evaluation of movements will be run through a computer program, determining the exact kinematics of your delivery.
Your kinematics will be compared to the kinematics of our database of elite pitchers.
You will receive a packet including your written evaluation with our comments concerning the efficiency of your pitching delivery.
You will also be videotaped during the evaluation with our high-speed video cameras. Each of these cameras records your motion at 500 frames per second (standard video is 30 frames per second). The video will be copied to a VHS or a CD-R and mailed to you along with your evaluation.
You will also be videotaped using a regular camcorder so your motion can be seen at real speed. From this video, we will capture still photos at various instances during your delivery. This video and these photos will also be sent to you along with your evaluation.
The evaluation will last approximately an hour to an hour and a half.
Pitchers will need to bring a glove, tennis shoes (preferably turf shoes), and spandex shorts. If you don't have spandex shorts, OSMI has some for you to use.
Your results will be mailed to you within two to three weeks after the evaluation.
