Relationship between the Ball Velocity and Upper Extremity Kinematic Variables during an Overarm Throwing Task of Inexperienced Individuals

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the ball velocity and the upper extremity kinematics for both dominant and non-dominant side in inexperienced participants about an overarm throwing task. Method: Seven women who are inexperienced in overarm throwing participated in this study (Age: 25.1 ± 2.4 years, Height: 160.8 ± 3.5; Weight 56.5 ± 7.8). Participants visit the laboratory for three days with one day rest between test sessions. Whole body 3-dimensional (3D) motion capture was recorded during the overarm throwing trials with ten cameras Vicon motion analysis system (T-10, T40, Oxford Metrics Ltd, UK). Total 45 overarm throwing were recorded for each side for each test session. Ball speed also was measured 3 meters away behind the subjects and recorded for every trial. Results: Mean ball velocity was higher for dominant hand compared to non-dominant hand ( p <.05). Trunk segment variables (maximum angles and angular velocities) showed the most consistent relationship with the ball velocity. Conclusion: The importance of the trunk segment during the throwing activities can be seen in some individuals. But inconsistent results between subjects emphasize the importance of the individuals' movement patterns especially for bilateral sports. The future studies should be conduct about the sequence of segments, kinetic variables and effect of training.