Poster AA6 - Wearable Technology to Reduce Injury Burden in Pediatric Female Softball Athletes

Introduction: The surge in participation rates in baseball and softball among youth athletes and professionals has heightened concerns regarding injury incidence. Baseball notably faces the prevalence of ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) reconstructions, while softball contends with lower extremity injuries due to the downstream effects of the kinetic chain during pitching. Baseball and softball exhibit distinct injury profiles, with baseball players at higher risk of upper extremity injuries, particularly elbow injuries, and softball pitchers prone to lower extremity injuries.

Differences in pitching dynamics and regulatory frameworks significantly contribute to the disparity in injury patterns between the two sports. Unlike baseball, which has stringent pitch count regulations aimed at mitigating overuse injuries, softball lacks such guidelines, leading to heightened risks of cumulative overuse injuries among pitchers. Elite softball pitchers often endure an exceptionally high number of pitches per week, surpassing the limits imposed on baseball pitchers. This absence of defined limitations on innings or pitches in softball underscores the urgent need for comprehensive pitching regulations to safeguard the long-term health of softball athletes.

The integration of wearable technology presents a promising avenue to address these disparities by providing real-time data on physiological and biomechanical parameters. Such technology can aid in the development of evidence-based injury prevention strategies tailored for softball pitchers. Comprehensive research in this domain is essential to ensure the well-being and continued performance of softball athletes.

Materials and

Methods: This study, approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) under protocol number #2115411-5, involved a cohort of eight female softball pitchers aged 7 to 18 years, randomly selected from a softball pitching academy. Each participant was assigned a randomized number (1-8). Participants executed 50 fastball pitches from 40 feet while equipped with the Moxy Monitor on the lateral deltoid, a Polar heart rate monitor across the chest, and a Pulse Throw device on the forearm. Continuous recordings of heart rate and muscle oxygen saturation were captured using the VO2 Master Manager app, while arm speed and elbow torque were simultaneously recorded per pitch using the Driveline app. Data were extracted in CSV format for statistical analyses conducted in both R Studio and Python. These analyses included graphical depictions to illustrate the temporal dynamics of heart rate and muscle oxygen saturation, as well as scatter plots to explore biometric relationships. Normality of the data was assessed using Shapiro-Wilks tests. Spearman correlation analyses were performed to examine associations between variables, with accompanying plots to visualize correlations. Additionally, a comprehensive linear regression analysis was conducted to further explore the relationships between variables of interest.

Results, Conclusions, and Discussions: The analysis revealed that the data collected were not normally distributed, with heart rates, SmO2 levels, elbow torque, and arm speed exhibiting variability across participants. Despite this, notable correlations were observed between certain variables. Athletes 4, 5, and 7 displayed positive correlations between heart rate and SmO2 levels, with correlation coefficients of 0.46, 0.41, and 0.78, respectively, suggesting a potential relationship between oxygen saturation and cardiovascular activity during pitching. In contrast, athlete 6 exhibited a negative correlation with a coefficient of -0.43, indicating an inverse relationship between heart rate and SmO2 levels for this participant. Furthermore, a linear regression analysis was due to the high variation in coefficients, so no discernable prediction can be made.

These results provided valuable insights into biometric parameters associated with softball pitching, despite some limitations. Data distribution did not adhere to normality, and correlation analyses revealed limited to no significant relationships between variables and Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE). This snapshot analysis captured single pitching sessions' complexities, but the sport's dynamic nature and multifaceted factors pose challenges in establishing correlations. However, continued longitudinal testing may reveal evolving patterns, emphasizing the need for longitudinal studies. Wearable technology offers promise for uncovering meaningful connections. Our findings highlight the necessity for sustained investigations into the interplay between physiological markers and subjective metrics in athletic performance and overuse prevention.

This study aims to underscore the urgency of research to address the unique challenges and injury patterns in fastpitch softball, advocating for evidence-based guidelines for injury prevention. Wearable technologies like Moxy, Polar, and Pulse Throw offer promising avenues for understanding injury patterns and mitigating risks in softball pitching through real-time monitoring. These tools enable the identification of injury-prone patterns and the development of proactive measures, such as customized pitch count limits. Despite sustained popularity in both baseball and fastpitch softball, fine disparities in injury epidemiology highlight the need for targeted preventive measures tailored to each sport's demands. Our study showcases a methodological approach using advanced wearables to assess physiological and biomechanical parameters during softball pitching, providing insights for injury prevention and evidence-based decision-making.

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