BALLPARK FORCES: GROUND REACTION FORCES DURING BATTING

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The baseball swing is a three dimensional movement incorporating both propulsive and stabilizing forces applied by both feet throughout different phases of the movement. These ground reaction forces (GRFs) are subsequently transferred up through the body via the kinetic chain to generate bat velocity. Limited research exists on the magnitude and temporal sequencing of swing kinetics, and no known studies have analyzed the effect of ball location on swing kinetics.