The Kinetic Chain Revisited: New Concepts on Throwing Mechanics and Injury.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative review of biomechanical concepts and clinical management with no original empirical data or systematic review methodology.
PubMed 26972269 · doi:10.1016/j.pmrj.2015.11.015
What was done
This is a narrative review summarizing the biomechanics of the overhead throwing motion and the function of the kinetic chain. The authors synthesized concepts regarding force and energy transfer from the lower extremities and core to the throwing arm across six distinct phases (windup, stride, arm cocking, acceleration, deceleration, and follow-through), along with clinical evaluation and management strategies for throwing pathomechanics.
What was found
The abstract reports no numerical findings or statistical data. It outlines the conceptual framework of the kinetic chain in overhead throwing, describing how energy generated in the lower body transfers through the core to the upper extremity, and notes that breaks or deficits anywhere in this chain can impair performance or predispose athletes to injury.
Why it matters
It outlines a phase-based biomechanical framework to help clinicians identify and treat proximal kinetic chain deficits that may contribute to overhead throwing injuries.
Limits
As a non-systematic narrative review, it presents theoretical and mechanism-based reasoning without original empirical data, quantitative risk estimates, or standardized study selection criteria.