A UConn-led study of 126 pitchers from seven college baseball teams found an association between reduced preseason neck mobility and arm injuries, according to a university report published October 13.
Researchers tested neck movement at the start of the season and followed players afterward. Pitchers with more limited mobility reported more arm problems and lost more playing time to injury, UConn says.
Laurie Devaney, head of UConn’s kinesiology department and co-director of its Institute for Sports Medicine, led the research. The university says the work appeared in the Journal of Athletic Training and follows an earlier pilot study.
The findings extend attention beyond the shoulder and elbow to neck movement. They do not establish that stiffness alone causes injuries or that any particular exercise prevents them.
Access to the linked journal article returned an error during this check. This account therefore relies on UConn’s description and does not independently assess the full study methods or results.