Comparison of lower limb muscle activity during the dynamic balance test between baseball pitchers and healthy young adults

BACKGROUND: Dynamic balance is an essential factor for efficient pitching by baseball pitchers. OBJECTIVE: To compare distances reached and lower-extremity muscle activity during the star excursion balance test (SEBT) in baseball pitchers and healthy young adults. METHODS: Nineteen baseball pitchers (BPG) and 20 healthy adults (HAG) were recruited. Surface EMG was used to measure the activity of vastus medialis (VM), vastus lateralis (VL), tibialis anterior, and lateral gastrocnemius. RESULTS: The BPG exhibited greater dynamic balance than in the HAG (p < 0.05) in the posteromedial (PM) and posterolateral (PL) directions. For the PM and PL directions, significantly greater muscle activity of VM and VL was found in the BPG than in the HAG (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: SEBT performance is characterized by high-level VM and VL muscle activities. Neuromuscular control of knee extensors, such as the VM and VL of pitchers, might affect the dynamic balance measured by the SEBT.