Pitching…From the Mound or Ground?

We hosted a dinner for area baseball and softball coaches a few years ago.  I presented a program on throwing injuries and was asked a question on pitching training.  A baseball coach wanted to know whether it was advisable to do more throwing from a flat surface verses a mound. At the time I couldn’t give him a firm opinion one way or the other. So I decided to research the topic again.

The logic of training from flat ground compared to the mound is to reduce the stresses seen by the shoulder and elbow. Obviously, trying to prevent injuries is the main goal. Studies have shown lower stresses when throwing from flat ground. However, the stress reduction is not significant enough to make a substantial argument for injury reduction.

Opponents of training from flat ground argue that the mechanics of throwing have to change to accommodate the difference from the mound. Differences in stride length and velocity may lead to adaptations that have to be overcome when getting back on the mound.

Certainly, one can find favorable arguments to both implement flat ground pitching as well as train from the mound.  I am still not able to give a firm opinion either way. My recommendation is to use this training technique if you think it works good for your players, otherwise don’t jump on the bandwagon.

If you would like to read more on this topic, the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy offers an aritcle you might find insightlful.

Both comments and pings are currently closed.

Comments are closed.