Pitcher's mound may stress the arm

A standard 10-inch pitcher's mound might contribute to shoulder injuries.


AS the 2008 professional baseball season begins, pitchers will stand atop regulation-height, 10-inch mounds to wind up. Then they'll stride, cock their arms, accelerate, decelerate and follow through to release a ball that can reach speeds of 100 mph. Now, a motion analysis study of 20 elite pitchers from the major leagues and NCAA Division I-A college teams suggests that a 10-inch mound, also standard for college and high school baseball, might contribute to injuries.