Strength in Numbers #233
Velocity has long been considered a necessary risk of high-level performance. A recent landmark study of over 1,300 pitchers across eight seasons found that higher fastball velocity is associated with an increased risk of UCL reconstruction.
But there’s an equally important—and often overlooked—point.
Velocity explains only a portion of injury risk.
A large percentage of that risk remains unexplained by velocity alone.
That unexplained risk likely lives in:
- Strength asymmetries
- Posterior cuff weakness
- Fatigue accumulation
- Poor force transfer efficiency
- Inadequate recovery
In other words, an old sedan might be able to drive fast, but it’s far less equipped to do so safely and repeatedly than a new sports car.
These aren’t abstract concepts either!
They’re trainable and measurable qualities that can be improved to reduce the injury risk of throwing harder.
Strong Arms are Adjustable & Adaptable
Strong arms aren’t just more resistant to injury, either. They’re also more adjustable and adaptable in both training and competition.
When an athlete has higher maximum strength and better balance:
- The nervous system requires less relative effort to throw hard
- The arm tolerates fatigue without drastic mechanical drift
- Coaching interventions are easier to implement because the athlete has options, not limitations
This is why higher ArmScores are associated with lower perceived effort at high velocity.
With ArmCare, high-intensity pitching becomes a trained capacity rather than a necessary evil for the arm to endure.
Strength matters most!
— Ryan
