JAT Chat | Pitch Counts Don’t Tell the Whole Story: New Study in Adolescent Pitchers

2026-02-04

Welcome to JAT Chat, presented by the Journal of Athletic Training, the official journal of the National Athletic Trainers' Association. In this episode, co-host Dr. Shelby Baez speaks with Dr. Brett Pexa (High Point University) about the recent publication, "Throwing Load Does Not Affect Musculoskeletal Measures Around Competitive Pitching in Adolescent Baseball Pitchers". This episode explores a study testing whether external load (pitch count), internal load (RPE), or their ...

Welcome to JAT Chat, presented by the Journal of Athletic Training, the official journal of the National Athletic Trainers' Association. In this episode, co-host Dr. Shelby Baez speaks with Dr. Brett Pexa (High Point University) about the recent publication, "Throwing Load Does Not Affect Musculoskeletal Measures Around Competitive Pitching in Adolescent Baseball Pitchers".

This episode explores a study testing whether external load (pitch count), internal load (RPE), or their product (ARM PE) predict changes in shoulder and elbow musculoskeletal measures in adolescent baseball pitchers. Researchers measured range of motion, shoulder strength, and infraspinatus ultrasound before and after pitching and found no consistent correlation between loading metrics and the observed musculoskeletal changes.

Key takeaways: pitch counts alone may not reflect total arm load; clinicians should consider total shoulder actions and monitor ROM and strength to assess recovery and injury risk.

Article: https://doi.org/10.4085/1062-6050-0052.25

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