Correlation Among Y-Balance Test-Lower Quarter Composite Scores, Hip Musculoskeletal Characteristics, and Pitching Kinematics in NCAA Division I Baseball Pitchers.

Numerous studies have reported kinematic data on baseball pitchers using three-dimensional (3D) motion analysis, but no studies to date have correlated this data with clinical outcome measures. To examine the relationship among Y-Balance Test-Lower Quarter (YBT-LQ) composite scores, musculoskeletal characteristics of the hip, and pitching kinematics in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I baseball pitchers. Cross-sectional. 3D motion analysis laboratory. Nineteen healthy male college baseball pitchers. Internal and external hip passive range of motion, hip abduction strength, YBT-LQ composite scores, and kinematic variables of the pitching motion. Stride length demonstrated a moderate positive correlation with dominant limb YBT-LQ composite score ( = .524,  = .02) and nondominant limb YBT-LQ composite score ( = .550,  = .01), and a weak positive correlation with normalized time to maximal humerus velocity ( = .458,  = .04). Stride length had a moderate negative correlation with normalized time to maximal thorax velocity ( = -.522,  = .02) and dominant hip total rotational motion (TRM;  = -.660,  = .002), and had a strong negative correlation with normalized time from stride foot contact to maximal knee flexion ( = -.722,  < .001). Dominant limb YBT-LQ composite score had a weak negative correlation with hip abduction strength difference ( = -.459,  = .04) and normalized time to maximal thorax velocity ( = -.468,  = .04). Nondominant limb YBT-LQ composite score demonstrated a weak negative correlation with normalized time to maximal thorax velocity ( = -.450,  = .05) and had a moderate negative correlation with dominant hip TRM ( = -.668,  = .001). There were no other significant relationships between the remaining variables. YBT-LQ is a clinical measure that can be used to correlate with hip musculoskeletal characteristics and pitching kinematics in NCAA Division I pitchers.