title: The use of a pitch count estimator to calculate exposure in collegiate baseball pitchers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Excessive pitch counts have been associated with arm pain in pitchers. Tracking of exposure is difficult based on participation on multiple teams and variability in organizational rules. Statisticians have estimated exposure for professional pitchers using pitch count estimators. Our objective was to determine the utility of pitch count estimators at the collegiate level.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cohort; 29 collegiate pitchers.
  
  
  METHODS
  The team athletic trainer collected game pitch count data. The total number of batters faced (PA), strike outs (SO), and walks (BB) were recorded from the box score and entered into the pitch count formula (3.3*PA + 1.5*SO + 2.2*BB) to estimate pitch counts. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs(2,1)) and standard error of measurement (SEM), were used to examine the agreement between actual and estimated pitch counts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean pitch count was correlated with the estimated pitch count (628 ± 476 vs.603 ± 426; r = .99, p < .001). The actual and estimated pitch counts per season demonstrated excellent agreement (ICC(2,1) = 0.99; SEM = 56 pitches). The ICC(2,1) calculated to compare actual and estimated pitch counts for starters and relievers (ICC(2,1) = 0.98; SEM = 77; 0.98; SEM = 39) reflect good agreement.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The estimator provides a method of quantifying exposure for pitchers to help plan safe participation and control for confounding factors when attempting to understand the risks of pitching.
authors.affiliation: Proaxis Therapy, 200 Patewood Dr Suite C150, Greenville, SC 29615, USA; SC Center for Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Sciences, 200 Patewood Dr Suite C100, Greenville, SC 29615, USA. Electronic address: ellen.shanley@proaxistherapy.com.
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Shanley
authors.affiliation: IRONMAN Sports Medicine Institute, Memorial Hermann Health System, 6400 Fannin, Suite 1620, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Lane
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.affiliation: University of South Carolina Upstate, 800 University Way, Spartanburg, SC 29303, USA.
authors.forename: Michael P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Sandago
authors.affiliation: Proaxis Therapy, 200 Patewood Dr Suite C150, Greenville, SC 29615, USA.
authors.forename: Abigail
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pinkerton
authors.affiliation: The Steadman Clinic, 181 West Meadow Drive, Suite 400, Vail, CO 81657, USA.
authors.forename: Steven B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Singleton
authors.affiliation: Proaxis Therapy, 200 Patewood Dr Suite C150, Greenville, SC 29615, USA; SC Center for Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Sciences, 200 Patewood Dr Suite C100, Greenville, SC 29615, USA.
authors.forename: Charles A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Thigpen
mesh_terms: D001484:Baseball / Q000502:physiology*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055641:Mathematical Concepts; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000502:physiology*; D016526:Workload; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Exposure; Throwing; Work load