ADJUSTMENT OF THE LOWER LIMB MOTION AT DIFFERENT IMPACT HEIGHTS IN BASEBALL BATTING

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate the change in the lower limb motion to three different hitting areas of the strike zone: high, middle, and low. Subjects were 10 right-handed male skilled batters of a university baseball team. Data were collected using a three dimensional automatic motion analysis system (Vicon 612). Joint angles of the lower limbs were computed. Comparison of the hitting in the high area vs. low area revealed that to hit the ball in the low area the batter adjusted the motion of the hip joint by regulating the flexion-extension angle of the both hips from the phase of the Swing start to the phase of the Impact. After that the phase of the Left upper arm parallel abduction angle of the right hip was smaller in case of the high, middle areas than the of the low area, and abduction angle of the left hip was larger in case of the high, middle areas than the low area.