Pitching Workload
Third Party Research

According to researchers at Duke University Medical Center:

"Youth players make significantly more total throws and high-effort, or pitch-equivalent, throws, than what is recorded by the official pitch counts."

The study reports sensor-tracked 11 and 12 year olds averaged 1,666 total throws versus 168 official pitches per season.

A University of Michigan study funded by Major League Baseball looked at youth players on days they pitched. The researchers found players averaged 158 total throws, but only 36 were recorded as official pitches.

Researchers tracked Little League World Series pitchers from 2001 to 2009 and followed up on their professional careers. They reported:

"In former LLWS pitchers who exceeded pitch counts and played professionally, 50% (2/4) required UCLR, while only 1.7% (1/58) of those who did not exceed pitch count recommendations required UCLR."

A 2021 study surveyed youth baseball teams on their adherence to recommended guidelines. According to the authors, 90% of teams were not complying with Pitch Smart recommendations.

Researchers have reported that Tommy John surgery rates in the 15 to 19 year old age group appear to be increasing. One study estimated an average annual increase of approximately 9%.

A 2020 study looked at the relationship between arm fatigue and injury. According to the authors, pitching while experiencing arm fatigue was associated with a 13x increase in injury risk.

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic compared a commercial IMU sensor to lab-based motion capture. For arm speed, they found:

"Arm speed did not demonstrate a statistically significant difference (29.2 ± 96.8 rpm; P = .375)."

The same study found the sensor was less accurate for other metrics like arm slot and elbow torque.

A study on sensor placement tested different locations on the body. The researchers suggest that forearm-mounted sensors may be more sensitive to workload differences between pitch types compared to trunk-mounted sensors.

Researchers tested a wrist-worn sensor on youth baseball players performing various activities including pitching, fielding, and batting. They reported the sensor could detect and differentiate throwing from other baseball movements with high accuracy.

One study tracked over 17,000 throws across a youth baseball season. The researchers suggest IMU sensors can classify throw intensity into low, medium, and high categories.

In a study on cricket bowling, which is biomechanically similar to overhead throwing, researchers compared Apple Watch sensors to research-grade equipment. They reported no significant difference for measuring speed and intensity, with a mean absolute error of ±2.76 km/h.