Association between shoulder proprioceptive control and pitching accuracy in high school baseball players: an exploratory position-stratified analysis

Pitching accuracy is critical for performance and injury prevention, yet its neuromuscular determinants remain poorly understood. This study explored the relationship between active shoulder proprioceptive precision, quantified via 3D Movement Variability (3DMV), and multidimensional pitching accuracy in high school baseball players. Eighty-six high school baseball players participated.

Active joint repositioning tests quantified 3DMV of the scapulothoracic and glenohumeral joints across pitching-specific phases (cocking and ball release). Pitching accuracy was assessed using absolute error, constant error, and 95% confidence ellipse parameters (area, radii). Relationships were analyzed using Pearson’s correlations and Canonical Correlation Analysis (CCA) to identify multivariate associations.

Scapular 3DMV significantly correlated with pitching accuracy during the cocking and ball-release phases (r = -0.227 to -0.244, p