Although pitch velocity increased in baseball players who performed a 6-week throwing program that used weighted balls, research published in Sports Health noted a higher injury rate in these pitchers compared with controls.

“There is still a lot to learn about the use of weighted balls in baseball pitchers. We know that many, but not all, will show an increase in velocity, but at what cost?” study co-author Michael M. Reinold, PT, DPT, SCS, ATC, CSCS, told Healio.com/Orthopedics. “The significant changes in shoulder range of motion likely cause both the gain in velocity and the increase in injury rates. There are many ways to enhance performance that are less stressful on the arm, especially for youth and high school pitchers.”