A 2024 study found that more lead hip internal rotation at maximum external rotation is linked to both higher velocity and greater elbow stress, highlighting a real trade-off between performance and durability. While an extra 10 degrees of hip internal rotation can add roughly 1.3 mph, hip position only explains about 20 to 33 percent of the variance in velocity and elbow loading, meaning most of the story lives elsewhere in the kinetic chain. The takeaway isn’t to chase more range, but to build strength, coordination, and control so pitchers can use the mobility they have without shifting unnecessary stress to the elbow.
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