875 MEP029 – Perceptions of wearable biomechanical devices in elite baseball pitchers and training staff: a qualitative study

AbstractBackground USA baseball oversees Olympic baseball and development leagues in the United States. Clinicians, coaches, and athletes have sought to leverage biomechanical devices to inform training for injury prevention. A novel biomechanical pitch sleeve and force plate have been proposed that incorporates circuitry into the fabric to track workload, kinetic, and kinematic data. Currently, perspectives of stakeholders on the use of these biomechanical devices for training strategies for injury prevention are unknown. Objective Determine the barriers and facilitators for use of wearable and portable biomechanical devices among elite baseball pitchers and training staff. Design Qualitative descriptive study nested within a pilot feasibility study. Setting Individual team facilities.Participants Players (age: 18–24 years), coaches, and data coordinators.Intervention A novel biomechanical pitch sleeve and force plate.Main Outcome Measures The Consolidated Framework for Implementation informed the semi-structured focus groups for 1) coaches, data coordinators, 2) players. Data analysis followed an abductive approach to identify implementation categories. Further inductive conventional content analysis was performed for refinement and identification of barriers and facilitators for implementation of each device.Results Three categories emerged related to data knowledge, self-awareness, environmental-constraints. Participants acknowledged low baseline knowledge (barrier) for how to interpret biomechanical data interface results to inform training adjustments. However, players reported greater self-awareness of workload and recovery status (facilitator) following use of both devices for workload (i.e., pitch counts), and recovery status (i.e., vertical jump height changes). Environmental constraints such as Bluetooth sensor range for long distance throws (barrier) were reported during biomechanical sleeve use for games and long-distance throwing. Conclusions This study provides insight into barriers and facilitators that may improve future implementation of wearable or portable biomechanical devices among baseball stakeholders to aid in injury prevention strategies. Addressing biomechanics technology literacy and rigorous field testing may facilitate further use of these biomechanical devices.