Abstract

Children and adolescent athletes participating in throwing sports are particularly susceptible to upper extremity overuse injuries compared to adults, often attributed to factors such as poor technique and balance. This study aims to explore the potential correlation between process-oriented assessments of throwing skill and injury prevention in youth athletes. Through a systematic search of databases including PUBMED, MEDLINE, and SPORTDiscus, interventions focusing on upper extremity injury prevention programs and process-based physical competence assessment tools for throwing skill were identified. Criteria for study inclusion encompassed physically and mentally healthy participants aged 8-19 years, with exclusion criteria eliminating review papers, non-English language publications predating 2000, inaccessible full texts, and samples involving individuals with existing shoulder or elbow pain or injury. While formal risk of bias assessment was not conducted due to study heterogeneity, our findings indicate commonalities in process-based assessment criteria across throwing phases, highlighting specific pitching kinetic and kinematic flaws integral to evaluating technique quality and effectiveness. Despite this, existing injury prevention programs inadequately address the multifactorial nature of throwing injuries in youth athletes, necessitating further investigation into modifying throwing techniques through process-oriented physical competence assessment tools. Prospective assessments should prioritize integrating technique-oriented biomechanical analyses within injury prevention strategies to mitigate upper extremity injury risk effectively.