The Thrower's Injury Program aims to return injured athletes to their sport at or above their previous level of performance. With an understanding of the unique mechanical requirements of throwing, physical therapists develop an individualized return-to-throwing program to improve strength, mobility and throwing mechanics to prevent further injury. The return to peak performance requires involvement of coaches, athletic trainers and parents.

Sophisticated Evaluation Pinpoints Problems
A comprehensive musculo-skeletal evaluation of the throwing athlete helps physical therapists pinpoint causes of injury. Evaluation focuses on physical exam of the trunk and upper body, including shoulder, elbow and wrist. A screening of the entire body looks for other factors contributing to injury. High-speed video analysis evaluates the athlete's throwing or pitching motion.

Individualized Treatment Programs Include:

• A controlled rehabilitation plan to promote soft tissue recovery and healing. 
• Specialized stretching and flexibility exercises for muscle, tendons and connective tissue to improve mobility and prevent re-injury. 
• Strengthening exercises to correct muscle imbalance and weakness contributing to injury. 
• Shoulder blade stability exercises to improve throwing performance and reduce shoulder strain. 
• Plyometric drills to build throwing motion speed and power. 
• Specialized throwing exercises that include deceleration drills, throwing motion mechanics training and long-toss exercises. 
• Proprioception training, or body self-awareness, to teach athletes to know their bodies and recognize the warning signs of abnormal body positions or movements leading to injury. 
• An education program teaching self-care techniques to prevent further injury and maintain throwing performance.

Contact Us
For further information about the Thrower's Injury Program, call: 612-672-7929.

For acute injuries, call the Institute for Athletic Medicine Injury Hotline: 952-920-8850.