Date Approved

2009

Degree Type

Open Access Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department or School

Health Promotion and Human Performance

Committee Member

Anthony Moreno, PhD, Chair

Committee Member

Christine Karshin, PhD

Committee Member

James Sweet, MS

Abstract

Among baseball athletes, joint range of motion (ROM) is considered an important physical characteristic with respect to injury prevention and performance. Professional and intercollegiate programs employ various methods of flexibility training; however, to date, no literature exists with regard to the effect of a yoga-based training program. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the effects of a sport-specific yoga program among NCAA Division I intercollegiate baseball players. Subjects (N=30, age 19.42 ±1.37 years) were assessed for shoulder joint (SH), hamstring (HS), and groin (GR) ROM and subsequently followed a 12-week, 2x/week yoga intervention. Post-test results indicated significant improvements in SH and HS (p<0.05). Future investigations should evaluate the influence of longitudinal yoga interventions on injury incidence and specific performance parameters (e.g., speed, bat acceleration, pitching velocity) important to the game of baseball.

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