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Researchers at University of Tsukuba conducted a detailed investigation on exercise-induced arterial adaptations (changes in arterial structure and function associated with sport-specific demands) among college baseball players, dividing participants into pitchers and fielders. The results revealed the possibility of asymmetrical exercise-induced adaptations in the brachial arteries of the dominant and nondominant arms, particularly in baseball pitchers.

Tsukuba, Japan—In athletes, the arterial structure and function undergo sport-specific adaptations in response to the demands of their activities. For instance, in baseball players, repeated high-intensity throwing motions performed during daily practice and games can induce physiological adaptations, particularly in the brachial artery of the dominant arm. However, this phenomenon has not been extensively investigated. Therefore, we conducted a detailed examination of exercise-induced arterial adaptations in college baseball players.

The study included 34 male pitchers and 41 male fielders from college baseball teams, along with 23 young men without regular exercise habits as a control group. Measurements of the brachial artery diameter, blood flow velocity, and blood flow volume in both the dominant and nondominant arms were performed. The results showed that both pitchers and fielders had statistically significant increases in the brachial artery diameter and blood flow volume in both arms compared with the control group. However, when comparing the brachial artery diameters between the dominant and nondominant arms, a statistically significant difference was observed only in the pitchers. This trend remained consistent even after adjusting the brachial artery diameter for the body surface area or lean mass of the upper arm.

The results suggest the possibility of asymmetrical exercise-induced arterial adaptations between the brachial arteries of the dominant and nondominant arms of baseball pitchers. Understanding the characteristics of such athlete-specific physiological arterial adaptations will greatly contribute to the development of effective training strategies and the establishment of preventive measures for sports-related medical conditions.

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This work was supported in part by a grant from the Advanced Research Initiative for Human High Performance (ARIHHP), University of Tsukuba.

Original Paper

Title of original paper:

Brachial arterial adaptations in college baseball players: Differences between pitchers and fielders

Journal:

Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport

DOI:

10.1016/j.jsams.2024.12.008

Correspondence

Assistant Professor KOSAKI Keisei
Institute of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Tsukuba

Related Link

Institute of Health and Sport Sciences