REVOLUTIONARY PITCHING ANALYSIS AND MODEL WILL PREVENT BASEBALL INJURIES AND AID RECOVERY PROCESS

SAN DIEGO and GULF BREEZE, Fla. (July 4, 2007) — The Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine in Gulf Breeze, Florida has entered into an agreement with The National Pitching Association (NPA) to utilize the NPA’s BioMechanics Efficiency Model. The model will be the baseball data capture and assessment tool for baseball pitchers at the Andrews Research and Education Institute (AREI), the research and education division of the Andrews Institute. AREI is the only organization in the United States to utilize this model in addition to NPA headquarters in San Diego.

AREI will utilize NPA guidelines to evaluate baseball pitchers mechanics and indicate areas of high risk of injury for all skill levels including professional, collegiate, and local high school and little league players. The NPA Model gauges over 100 different variables to assess the strengths and weaknesses of a pitcher’s delivery by comparing it to NPA standards of angles, distance, velocity, acceleration, and timing. The measurements will be captured in the AREI Biomechanics Lab by utilizing 3D motion analysis with hi-speed MX cameras and Nexus software developed by Vicon Motion Systems, Inc.

“We are thrilled to have the world’s most innovative and comprehensive pitching mechanics analysis system in the world in our facility,” said James Andrews, MD, founder and medical director of the Andrews Institute in Gulf Breeze, Florida. “Tom House and the National Pitching Association have continually been on the forefront of research and technology when it comes to assessing, training and coaching baseball pitchers. They have consistently asked the hard questions about physical movement and have provided the medical community with a fresh look at athletic performance from the coaching perspective. We look forward to collaborating with the NPA on new studies and initiatives, in an effort to reduce injuries in baseball.”

“Our goal is to provide pitchers, coaches, and medical professionals with the best scientifically based information available on mechanics, conditioning and injury prevention," noted Dr. Tom House, National Pitching Association co-founder. “We are very excited to have the Andrews Institute as a strategic partner to further our insight and knowledge on injury prevention. The Andrews Institute is the benchmark by which all other facilities of this nature will be measured and the NPA is honored to be a part of this great opportunity.”

Home to a number of clinical departments, the 127,000-square-foot Andrews Institute provides convenience and improved continuum of care for patients. In addition to the AREI, services at the Institute include diagnostic imaging, rehabilitation, outpatient surgery and physician consultations. The complex is also home to Athletes’ Performance Florida.

There are more than 40 doctors at the Institute that provide consultations and surgery in the following medical specialties: ear, nose and throat; general surgery; neurosurgery; optometry; ophthalmology; orthopaedics; pain management; physical medicine; plastic surgery; podiatry; primary care sports medicine; radiology; retinal care; and vascular care.

The proximity of all these services allows the team of physicians at the Andrews Institute to provide proficient world-class care to the patients. Integration of clinical services is a key to providing care for the Institute patients, where the common services utilized to diagnose, treat and rehabilitate musculoskeletal injuries is networked together as a truly seamless experience for the patient.

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Located in San Diego, California, the NPA was formed by leading coaches, athletes, and management teams to help pitchers of all ages safely develop to their fullest potential. Through scientific research the NPA is continually updating its understanding of pitching, conditioning, nutrition, and the mental/emotional aspects of baseball performance. The National Pitching Association is dedicated to the education of baseball pitchers, their parents, and their coaches, so that they can pitch more effectively and stay healthier. www.nationalpitching.net

Situated outside of Pensacola, Florida in Gulf Breeze, the Andrews Institute for Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine provides world-class care and service for the athlete in everyone. The one-of-a-kind center focuses on the prevention, treatment and rehabilitation of musculoskeletal injuries while using the expertise of nationally and internationally renowned orthopaedic surgeon James Andrews, M.D. Dr. Andrews is best known as physician to some of sport’s greatest professional athletes. www.theandrewsinstitute.com

The Andrews Institute is an affiliate of Baptist Health Care, located in Pensacola, Florida. Baptist Health Care is the proud recipient of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation’s premier award for performance excellence and quality achievement. For six consecutive years, Baptist Health Care has been named one of Fortune Magazine’s Best Places to Work. It is the only locally owned health care system in Northwest Florida that has placed on the list that recognizes the nation’s most employee friendly organizations. www.ebaptisthealthcare.org