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Press Release | Press Release | 9/7/2023

Arm Health - Essential Metrics

Do You Know These Essential Arm Health Metrics?

The number one question parents, players, and coaches ask is...

“How can pitchers maximize velocity without hurting their arm?”

There are a lot of opinions on this topic, such as pitch counts, the impact of certain pitches like curve balls, and pitching mechanics, but when it comes down to it, there is little to no evidence that those things actually reduce the risk of harm.

Instead, the priority should be on these four primary factors that will ensure a player’s health and keep them progressing to the next level.

1. Fatigue - Does a player lose significant strength after a bout of high-intensity throwing?

Fatigue is the number one cause of injuries and poor performance in athletes, particularly in sports that involve repetitive and high-intensity movements like pitching.

Fatigue is best measured by assessing changes in strength that occur after an outing. When the muscles become fatigued, their ability to generate force and stabilize the joints effectively decreases. As a result, a pitcher may see drops in velocity & accuracy.

Proper conditioning and training programs that address strength can help a player better withstand fatigue during games and practices. And objectively measuring fatigue with strength measurements can fine tune a players ideal pitch totals rather than a one size fits all approach.

2. Poor Recovery - Does throwing arm strength bounce back quickly?

Without adequate recovery, the throwing arm muscles and connective tissues may not fully repair and regenerate after intense training or competition.

Insufficient recovery can lead to persistent weakness and soreness in the throwing arm, and increases the risk of overuse injuries, such as tendinitis, muscle and tendon strains, or stress fractures.

Adequate rest, nutrition, hydration, and post-throwing recovery work are crucial for ensuring the throwing arm bounces back in strength for subsequent performances.

3. Weakness - Is the throwing arm weak relative to the body?

An imbalanced strength ratio between the throwing arm and the rest of the body can lead to poor performance and injury. When the throwing arm is relatively weaker, it must absorb the strain from the rest of the body that’s pushing to its highest level.

To address throwing arm imbalance, athletes should focus on a comprehensive strength training program that hones in on the body's deficiencies, with extra focus on the specific demands of throwing.

4. Biomechanical Compensations - Is there an increase in joint loading due to throwing delivery changes?

Compensations occur when athletes alter their throwing mechanics to correct for weakness, pain, or other limitations. These changes may lead to abnormal joint loading and cause excessive stress or torque during the throwing motion.

Identifying mechanical issues has long been used to address throwing problems, but the approach usually misses the mark because it fails to address the underlying problem of needing enough strength to optimize delivery.

Key Health & Performance Metrics

ArmCare.com uses the following four strength based metrics to help coaches, parents, and players monitor and develop a high-powered arm.

1. ArmScore - total throwing arm strength expressed as a percentage of body weight (i.e., a score of 100 means that the athlete has a 100% of their body weight in throwing arm strength - a 200 lbs athlete would have a total of 200 lbs of strength.)

2. Strength Velocity Ratio - total arm strength relative to the miles per hour that it can throw

3. Fatigue Score - total arm strength post pitching as a percentage of total arm strength in a recovered state (i.e., many highly developed players will have over 100, which means they get stronger after they throw.)

4. Recovery Score - the change in total arm strength from recovered exam to recovered exam

Using these four measurements, the ArmCare App develops a personalized training plan to optimize health and maintain peak form of their throwing arm.

To learn more, ArmCare.com's Arm Health and Performance Level 1 course is the first-ever baseball certification course that uses arm strength measurements to personalize player development by addressing the most critical factors behind injuries.