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Musculoskeletal and Sports Medicine

Session: Forearm Flexor Muscle Strength & Elbow Joint Gap Changes When Utilizing A Novel Hand Grip Training Device

Forearm Flexor Muscle Strength and Elbow Joint Gap Changes When Utilizing a Novel Hand Grip Training Device

Saturday, October 25, 2025
12:00 PM - 1:30 PM MT
Location: Kiosk 8

    Primary Author(s)

  • JG

    Jessica K. Geiger, Other

    Graduate Student
    Wake Forest University School of Medicine
    Rochester Hills, Michigan

    • Poster Presenter(s)

  • Blake W. Jones, Other

    4th year medical student
    Wake Forest School of Medicine of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center
    Winston Salem, North Carolina

    • Co-Author(s)

  • KN

    Kristen Nicholson, PhD

    Assistant Professor
    Wake Forest University School of Medicine
    Winston Salem, North Carolina

Disclosure(s):
Blake W. Jones, Other: No financial relationships to disclose
Background and/or Objectives: This study investigates the effects of a forearm-specific training device on flexor muscle cross-sectional area (MCSA) and ulnohumeral joint (UHJ) space gapping in baseball pitchers following a 10-week forearm strengthening intervention via a novel hand grip training device.

Design: Prospective cohort

Setting : Athletic training facilities associated with collegiate baseball teams.

Participants : Thirty-six healthy Division I male baseball pitchers (18 in the training group, 18 in the control group) with full participation in games and practices. Exclusion criteria included elbow pain, injury, or noncompliance with training.

Interventions: The training group completed a 10-week forearm strengthening program focused on ulnar deviation, fingertip flexion, mid-finger flexion, finger extension, and radial deviation with the hand grip training device. The control group maintained regular training routines without additional interventions.

Main Outcome Measures: Ultrasound was used to assess UHJ gapping (mm) while loaded with a 2.5 kg weight strapped to the wrist and unloaded conditions at 30° and 90° of elbow flexion and 90° of shoulder abduction. A separate variable of UHJ gapping change was calculated as UHJ gapping loaded minus the UHJ gapping unloaded. MCSA (mm²) of the flexor digitorum profundus (FDP), flexor carpi ulnaris (FCU), and flexor digitorum superficialis (FDS) was also measured at rest with 90° of shoulder abduction and 30° of elbow flexion.

Results: The training group demonstrated a significant decrease in the change UHJ gapping from valgus load to no load at both 30° and 90° flexion (p < .001) and a significant increase in MCSA of the FDP (p < .001), FDS (p < .001), and FCU (p = .003). The control group exhibited no significant change, with a minor increase in UHJ gapping over time.

Conclusions: A 10-week targeted forearm strengthening program reduced UHJ gapping and increased MCSA, suggesting improved elbow stability and UCL protection. This training method may aid in injury prevention and rehabilitation for pitchers.