The Effect of a Bioactive Fabric Sleeve on Flexor-Pronator Recovery in Collegiate Baseball Pitchers: A Pilot Study

Background Fatigue of the flexor-pronator mass could lead to increased stresses on the ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) and potential injury. Soreness is a clinical indicator of fatigue. If flexor-pronator soreness recovery could be improved, there is potential protection of the UCL in baseball throwers. Hypothesis/Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of a bioactive fabric sleeve in enhancing subjective recovery in high-level pitchers who experience soft tissue soreness around the elbow. The investigators hypothesized that the use of the bioactive fabric, non-compressive sleeve would lead to a significant reduction in subjective elbow soreness the day following in-game pitching competition. Study Design Prospective cohort pilot study Methods Health Division I collegiate baseball pitchers were recruited to participate. The intervention consisted of two sleeve types: a control standard elbow compression sleeve and the experimental bioactive fabric, non-compressive sleeve, worn the night after their pitching performance to bed and removed the following morning. The main outcome measure was subjective reported soreness in the soft tissues of the medial elbow reported the night of and the day after the pitching appearance in a collegiate baseball game. The length of the study encompassed the duration of the spring baseball season, allowing for multiple evaluations throughout the pitchers’ regular game schedules. A multivariable mixed-effects linear regression model was used to analyze changes in subjective pain and soreness between the bioactive, non-compressive, fabric sleeve and control sleeves, adjusting for time of season and accounting for multiple data points per pitcher. Results The bioactive fabric, non-compressive sleeve resulted in a statistically significant reduction in subjective reporting of pain the morning after pitching compared with reported pain the night of pitching (p=0.044) versus the change associated with a control sleeve. Conclusion This study showed the bioactive fabric was safe and demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in subjective reporting of medial elbow pain. Successful implementation of the study design was accomplished with high-level baseball pitchers. Future studies should involve a greater number of athletes with more granular assessment considering actual pitching workload. Level of Evidence Level II