Musculoskeletal Health and Wellbeing of Baseball Players
Overview:
This is the first ever, large scale study exploring the health and wellbeing impacts of playing baseball. 300 current or former baseball players, were recruited to participate in an online questionnaire. Baseball players play a high volume of games and sustain serious injury. These factors may affect musculoskeletal health and wellbeing of baseball players in different ways compared to the general population and athletes from other sports. The electronic questionnaire was sent out to baseball players and captured how baseball players felt baseball has affected their life and health, and in what ways.
Aims and Objectives:
- See how baseball has affected joint health.
- Assess the quality of life of baseball players.
- Assess the physical activity of baseball players
Key Findings:
Former baseball players report worse throwing arm physical function compared to the non-dominant arm.
Current and former baseball players demonstrate improved physical activity and quality of life compared to the general population.
Current and former baseball players report high prevalence of tobacco products use and similar energy drink usage compared to the general population.
Outputs:
- Bullock G.S, Nicholson K.F, Waterman B.R, Niesen E, Salamh P, Thigpen C.A, Shanley E, Devaney L, Collins G.S, Arden N.K, Filbay S.R. Health Conditions, Substance Use, Physical Activity, and Quality of Life in Current and Former Baseball Players. Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine. 23 November 2021. https://doi.org/10.1177%2F23259671211056645
- Bullock G.S, Shanley E, Collins G.S, Arden N.K, Noonan T.K, Kissenberth M.J, Wyland D.J, Arnold A, Bailey L.B, Thigpen C.A. Development and internal validation of a humeral torsion prediction model in professional baseball pitchers. Journal of shoulder and elbow surgery. June 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jse.2021.05.022
- Bullock GS, Nicholson KF, Waterman BR, Niesen E, Salamh P, Thigpen CS, Shanley E, Devaney L.L, Tokish J.M, Collins GS, Arden NK, Filbay SR. Persistent joint pain and arm function in former baseball players. JSES International. 28 June 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jseint.2021.05.001
- Bullock G.S, Thigpen C.A, Collins G.S, Arden N.K, Noonan T.K, Kissenberth M.J, Shanley E. Starting pitchers demonstrate a greater hazard of arm injury compared to relief pitchers. Journal of Athletic Training June 2021. https://doi.org/10.4085/1062-6050-0262.21
- Bullock G.S, Murray E, Vaughan J, & Kluzek S. Temporal trends in incidence of time‑loss injuries in four male professional North American sports over 13 seasons. Nature Scientific Reports April 2021. doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-87920-6
- Bullock G.S, Menon G, Nicholson K, Butler R.J, Arden N.K, Filbay S.R. Baseball pitching biomechanics in relation to pain, injury, and surgery: A systematic review. Journal of Science and medicine on sport. January 2021. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsams.2020.06.015
- Bullock GS, J Uhan, EK Harriss, Arden N, Filbay SR. The Relationship Between Baseball Participation and Health: A Systematic Scoping Review. JOSPT 2020. 50 (2), 55-66. doi/10.2519/jospt.2020.9281
- Bullock GS, Nicholson KF, Waterman BR, Niesen E, Salamh P, Thigpen CS, Shanley E, Collins GS, Arden NK, Filbay SR. Persistent pain and upper extremity function in former collegiate baseball players: An exploratory analysis. Osteoarthritis and Cartilage 2020, 28, S393-S394. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.joca.2020.02.613
- Bullock GS, Strahm J, Hulburt TC, Beck EC, Waterman BR, Nicholson KF. The relationship of range and motion, hip shoulder separation, and pitching kinematics. Int J Sports Phys Ther. 2020;15(6):1119-1128. doi:10.26603/ijspt20201119
- Bullock GS., Schmitt AC., Chasse P., Little BA., Diehl LH., Butler RJ. Differences in Player Load and pitch type in collegiate baseball players. Sports Biomechanics (2019) doi.org/10.1080/14763141.2019.1618899