Asymptomatic female softball pitchers have altered hip morphology and cartilage composition.
Warden SJ., Coburn SL., Fuchs RK., Surowiec RK., Carballido-Gamio J., Kemp JL., Jalaie PK., Hanff DF., Palmer AJR., Fernquest SJ., Crossley KM., Heerey JJ.
Few studies have explored hip morphology and cartilage composition in female athletes or the impact of asymmetric repetitive loading, such as occurs during softball pitching. The current cross-sectional study assessed bilateral bony hip morphology on computed tomography imaging in collegiate-level softball pitchers ('Pitch1', n = 25) and cross-country runners ('Run', n = 13). Magnetic resonance imaging was used to assess cartilage relaxation times in a second cohort of pitchers ('Pitch2', n = 10) and non-athletic controls ('Con', n = 4). Pitch1 had 52% greater maximum alpha angle than Run (p