by C77fastpitch » Mon May 07, 2018 10:26 pm
The impact to the knee joint has never really been researched. However, common sense would indicate that such impacts would probably cause future significant damage. Most team sports regardless of safety measures more than likely have some impact on joint damage. So, the question really is, how safe can I make it? How far, how high, and how long can a pitcher continue to jump before their knees start aching from overused injuries. Secondly, how significantly effective is the long leap. Can a pitcher leap safer, not as high or long and still be effective. My contention is that it is not only possible but probable. The extra speed gained, if any, by the long and high leap, is not worth the extra damage to the knee joint. Pitchers can be safer, and just as effective with a less than all out leap and drag.
Not all pitchers that practice the long leap and drag, over a period of years, suffer from knee damage. However, most of them do!