Context: Hip abductor musculature contributes to the stability of the pelvis, which is needed for efficient energy transfer from the lower-extremity to the upper-extremity during overhead throwing. Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of a bilateral hip abduction fatigue protocol on overhead-throwing kinematics and passive hip range of motion. Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: Controlled laboratory setting. Participants: A convenience sample of 19 collegiate female softball players (20.6 [1.9] y; 169.3 [9.7] cm; 73.2 [11.2] kg). Main Outcome Measures: Repeated hip abduction to fatigue was performed on an isokinetic dynamometer for 3 consecutive days. Trunk and shoulder kinematics during throwing and hip internal and external rotation range of motion were analyzed prior to fatigue on day 1 (prefatigue) and following fatigue on day 3 (postfatigue). Results: Repeated-measures analysis of variances revealed no statistically significant differences in trunk and shoulder kinematics prefatigue and postfatigue. A statistically significant time × side × direction interaction (F2,36 = 5.462, P = .02, ) was observed in hip passive range of motion. A decrease in throwing-side hip internal rotation prefatigue to postfatigue (mean difference = -2.284; 95% confidence interval, -4.302 to -0.266; P = .03) was observed. Conclusions: The hip abductor fatigue protocol used in this study did not significantly alter trunk and upper-extremity throwing kinematics. The lack of changes may indicate that fatigue of the hip abductors does not contribute to trunk and shoulder kinematics during throwing or the protocol may not have been sport-specific enough to alter kinematics.
Keywords: injury; kinetic chain; lumbopelvic-hip complex; overhead throwing; softball; throwing mechanics.