Effects of icing or exercise on the shoulder joint range of motion, muscle strength and pitching performance after throwing in baseball pitchers

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the effects of icing or exercise around the shoulder joint range of motion and strength in baseball pitchers. The participants were seven high school baseball pitchers who regularly practiced pitching. This study measured shoulder joint range of external and internal rotation and strength of both external and internal rotations. All participants threw a total of 100 pitches with the interval time of 5 minutes every after 20 pitches, which mimicked a game situation, for two consecutive days. A randomized comparison was made between the icing and exercise intervention after pitching. Icing was applied to the front and back side of the shoulder with a bag and Velcro strap for 15 minutes. The exercise method consisted of two sets of three exercises of internal rotation, external rotation, and abduction of the shoulder joint for lasting 15 minutes. The results showed there were no significant differences in throwing performance between participants with exercise and icing; however, the shoulder joint range of motion and shoulder external/inner rotation muscle strength were significantly higher with exercise than with icing. These results suggest that shoulder exercise with an elastic band may be beneficial for young active baseball pitchers in terms of shoulder range of motion and strength related to throwing motion after pitching, compared with the application of icing.