Hamate Fracture

Francis7,

Regarding your question about the broken hamate injury in baseball? Two things have changed and one thing has not: players are stronger, the swing has changed and the core design of the bat has stayed the same. When combined, the resulting collision of new swing mechanics and old product design result in the broken hamate injury. And the performance of the players swing is being limited by the design of the bat. You can find many examples of swings referenced below on YouTube.

1. Change One: todays players are stronger and more specifically trained to generate more power and force than ever – including youth players in middle school. They all have access to technologies which allow players and coaches to assess in precise detail, the assessment and use of ground force, the kinetic sequence, increased strength, power and mechanics of their body to swing a bat. Players at all levels now train with specific intent to generate more precise power focused on launch angle and exit velocity.
2. Change Two: the swing itself has dramatically changed. Watch video of players from the 50’s 60’s and even 70’s like Ted Williams, Stan Musial and Hank Aaron. Even those swings are dramatically different from the earlier swings of Ty Cobb (split grip) and Babe Ruth. Notice how low the hands start at the “top of their load” (the moment just prior to moving the hands forward), then notice how the barrel is dragged through the zone and how flat the finish is – the swing is long and level with the hands being almost at the same level of the barrel at contact. Lastly watch how the hands cross over the central axis of the bat during finish – it’s not a rough transition. Now watch the contemporary swings of players like Mike Trout, Bryce Harper and Aaron Judge. The hands start higher and the barrel path (angle of attack) is arched (similar to a golf swing). The hands start higher and stay higher, they pull the bat knob down and through to the ball rather than swinging the barrel around to meet the ball. This generates massive power potential, which is released as the hands slow and act as a pivot point for the bat – the barrel then explodes through the strikes zone with greater force. Notice how violently the hands now snap over the central axis of the handle after intended contact, specifically as they cross over the knob and the barrel finishes higher.
3. The “no-change”: While the swing has dramatically evolved, the design of the bat has not. The design of the conventional bat knob is a 140 year old relic of the past and it's colliding with the evolved swing of the 21st century. After intended contact, watch how the hands snap over the central axis of the bat and specifically how the base gripping hand is forced over the conventional knob to complete the swing. That is the moment where conventional knob compression mashes the heal of the base gripping hand causing compression which h is the root cause of the broken hamate injury. That compression also results in a slowing of the batters swing, something I call the “speed-bump” effect.

There is clear evidence that the conventional bat knob design is a real threat to players getting injured. There are three things that show the effects of knob compression: 1) worn batting gloves and contusions in the hands (always in the area of the heal of the base gripping hand, formally known as the hypothenar, 2) thrown bats caused by knob compression of the hypothenar under which lyes the ulnar nerve, which controls the grip of the pinky and ring fingers. 3) The broken hamate injury caused by compression of the 140 year old conventional knob on the hypothenar under which also lies that little bone called “hook of the hamate.”

- Grady

@Grady posted:

Francis7,

Regarding your question about the broken hamate injury in baseball? Two things have changed and one thing has not: players are stronger, the swing has changed and the core design of the bat has stayed the same. When combined, the resulting collision of new swing mechanics and old product design result in the broken hamate injury. And the performance of the players swing is being limited by the design of the bat. You can find many examples of swings referenced below on YouTube.

1. Change One: todays players are stronger and more specifically trained to generate more power and force than ever – including youth players in middle school. They all have access to technologies which allow players and coaches to assess in precise detail, the assessment and use of ground force, the kinetic sequence, increased strength, power and mechanics of their body to swing a bat. Players at all levels now train with specific intent to generate more precise power focused on launch angle and exit velocity.
2. Change Two: the swing itself has dramatically changed. Watch video of players from the 50’s 60’s and even 70’s like Ted Williams, Stan Musial and Hank Aaron. Even those swings are dramatically different from the earlier swings of Ty Cobb (split grip) and Babe Ruth. Notice how low the hands start at the “top of their load” (the moment just prior to moving the hands forward), then notice how the barrel is dragged through the zone and how flat the finish is – the swing is long and level with the hands being almost at the same level of the barrel at contact. Lastly watch how the hands cross over the central axis of the bat during finish – it’s not a rough transition. Now watch the contemporary swings of players like Mike Trout, Bryce Harper and Aaron Judge. The hands start higher and the barrel path (angle of attack) is arched (similar to a golf swing). The hands start higher and stay higher, they pull the bat knob down and through to the ball rather than swinging the barrel around to meet the ball. This generates massive power potential, which is released as the hands slow and act as a pivot point for the bat – the barrel then explodes through the strikes zone with greater force. Notice how violently the hands now snap over the central axis of the handle after intended contact, specifically as they cross over the knob and the barrel finishes higher.
3. The “no-change”: While the swing has dramatically evolved, the design of the bat has not. The design of the conventional bat knob is a 140 year old relic of the past and it's colliding with the evolved swing of the 21st century. After intended contact, watch how the hands snap over the central axis of the bat and specifically how the base gripping hand is forced over the conventional knob to complete the swing. That is the moment where conventional knob compression mashes the heal of the base gripping hand causing compression which h is the root cause of the broken hamate injury. That compression also results in a slowing of the batters swing, something I call the “speed-bump” effect.

There is clear evidence that the conventional bat knob design is a real threat to players getting injured. There are three things that show the effects of knob compression: 1) worn batting gloves and contusions in the hands (always in the area of the heal of the base gripping hand, formally known as the hypothenar, 2) thrown bats caused by knob compression of the hypothenar under which lyes the ulnar nerve, which controls the grip of the pinky and ring fingers. 3) The broken hamate injury caused by compression of the 140 year old conventional knob on the hypothenar under which also lies that little bone called “hook of the hamate.”

- Grady

Excellent post. Thanks. This is very much appreciated.

Grady;

Barry Bonds used a 34" Maple Sam Bat with tapered handle and choked the bat. What is your opinion of the "tapered" handle and choking up 1-2"?

Bob

Bob, The Bonds "tapered handle" is a half-step in the right direction to reducing knob compression ( https://www.psacard.com/probat...ers/barry-bonds/1609 ). The issue with this particular shape is that it is even larger than conventional knobs and if not held properly, slightly choked up, it tends to cause even more compression to the heal of the hand because of the size and the fact that many players hold it all the way down with the pinky wedges against the base of the knob. This is the reason some asymmetric knobs have a distinct advantage over conventional knobs – the angle matches the range of motion of the base gripping hand and as such the fingers stay above the heal of the hand through intended contact. See the pic in this article of the two hands holding the bat. https://www.bluebirdbanter.com...t-just-a-pretty-face

- Grady

Jeff McNeil also does something similar, and uses a NO KNOB bat. Been discussed by commentators in the past a lot seemingly as an "oddity". Perhaps it may be a necessity? .Just throwing that out there...

PTWoodson had a hamate injury (not broken) and switched to an axe handle. He's had no problems since then.

Some of the Major League players who had surgery for a fractured hamate: Ken Griffey Jr., David Ortiz, Jim Thome, Dustin Pedroia, Troy Tulowitzki, Austin Hedges, Juan Soto, Giancarlo Stanton, Francisco Cervelli, Joey Gallo, Jose Ramirez, Ryan Zimmerman, Mark Reynolds, Jose Canseco, Michael Brantley, Pablo Sandoval, Nick Markakis, Mike Zunino, Andrew Benintendi, Wander Franco, James McCann, Jason Kipnis, Tommy Pham, Yuli Gurriel, Curt Casali, Albert Almora, Gordon Beckham, Luis Urías, Bryan Reynolds and Matt Olson.

When I shared this list with my son after his surgery, he said:  Makes sense. All guys who swing really hard.

Francis;

"Swing hard" or wait, wait and "swing quick"? There is a difference.

Bob

This is just one small study, but it concludes that the check swing produces twice as much force on the hamate as a full swing. Makes sense to me. My question is... which is harder on the hamate, 1,000 full swings or a dozen check swings?

Swing Type and Batting Grip Affect Peak Pressures on the Hook of Hamate in Collegiate Baseball Players - PMC (nih.gov)

@PTWood posted:

PTWoodson had a hamate injury (not broken) and switched to an axe handle. He's had no problems since then.

when my son played college ball (2016-2019) there were no decent options for an Axe grip on non-wood bat. unfortunately, he was not the kind of kid who wanted to start new trends and absolutely refused to consider using a wood bat in a college game.

@MidAtlanticDad posted:

This is just one small study, but it concludes that the check swing produces twice as much force on the hamate as a full swing. Makes sense to me. My question is... which is harder on the hamate, 1,000 full swings or a dozen check swings?

Swing Type and Batting Grip Affect Peak Pressures on the Hook of Hamate in Collegiate Baseball Players - PMC (nih.gov)

This is interesting. When my son thought he broke it, he was hitting off a Tee. He said it felt like a click. CT Scan said no fracture. Orthopedist said bone bruise and try and play through it. The next week, on a swing and miss, in a scrimmage, it felt like an explosion and he then couldn't hold anything with his hand or move his fingers. New orthopedist did another scan and said it was now definitely fractured. Again, on a swing and miss.

@MidAtlanticDad totally didn't think of that. Are there good BBCOR options now?

The knob of the bat is also a necessary counterweight, without it, there's much less barrel control. So the taper or axe handle are really the only hamate-friendly options available at this point.

Baseball Bat Bros recently did a video hitting with a Demarini Voodoo One with the knob snapped off (common issue with those bats). It still has the same pop, but they struggle to control it without that counter weight.

My son has a Voodoo One that he broke the knob off of, I'm trying to think of a way to add weight to the bottom of the handle & have him use it. Thinking of wrapping the very bottom with lead tape under the grip, and taping over it like a taper.

Not recommending (Don't think it is legal) but, a friend put the knob back on a Voodoo with JB Weld and taped over it and it has stayed on for over a year.

In regards to Hamate, son was having trouble with pain and bad bruising on palm. We added tap and a new grip to make his bats more like a no-knob and has not had any problems since (Knock on wood).

@PTWood posted:

@MidAtlanticDad totally didn't think of that. Are there good BBCOR options now?

I haven't followed the progress since 2019, but it looks like Axe is still making their own BBCOR and not licensing to other bat makers. I guess the big aluminum/composite makers aren't interested, whereas it's much easier for them to work with smaller wood bat makers.

For protection AND performance, check out the ProXR SWITCH™ knob taper https://proxr.com/baseball/ – it adapts metal bat knobs to the ProXR knob.  The same knob technology being swung by Stanton, Alonso, Canha, O'Neill, Nimmo and others. https://www.instagram.com/p/CoXyN2-MjGE/

FR was starting and begun with hand pain. Coaches and Trainers advised some pt but did not think it was warranted to be out of lineup, 2 weeks later, hamate fractures mid swing. Before this year had never had any issues. Surgery a week ago and now preparing for summer ball. Was lucky enough to be 1 game under to earn medical redshirt

@camb3232 🙏🏽speedy recovery🙏🏽