The elbow joint is susceptible to injuries in the overhead athlete due to the large amount of forces observed during the act of throwing. Injuries often occur due to repetitive microtrauma nature of throwing. Rehabilitation following injury or surgery to the throwing elbow is vital to fully restore normal function and return the athlete to competition as quickly and safely as possible. Rehabilitation of the elbow, whether post-injury or postsurgical, must follow a progressive and sequential order to ensure that healing tissues are not overstressed. Emphasis is placed on restoring full motion, muscular strength, and neuromuscular control. The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of a multiphased rehabilitation program for the thrower's elbow. In addition, rehabilitation for specific nonoperative and postoperative pathologies often observed in the throwing athlete is discussed.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/00130911-200312000-00011 | DOI Listing |
Injuries are commonplace in the overhead athlete, with many occurring to the shoulder and elbow. The increasing prevalence of injuries to the shoulder and elbow has been discussed at length in recent years, with increased research focus being placed on arm care for rehabilitation and prevention strategies. Even though the pitching motion is well-established as a whole-body kinetic chain movement, most attention in rehabilitation and prevention efforts is often placed on the upper extremity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUlnar collateral ligament injury of the elbow is a problem most associated with baseball pitchers but can be a challenging pathology for any overhead throwing athlete. The prevalence of these injuries has been steadily increasing over the past several decades, as has the need for surgical management. Surgical reconstruction has long been considered the gold standard for complete ulnar collateral ligament injuries in throwers, but repair has surfaced as a viable option for younger patients or those with isolated proximal or distal injuries with good tissue quality.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInstr Course Lect
January 2025
The medial ulnar collateral ligament of the elbow is the primary stabilizer against valgus load. It can tear acutely or through attritional damage as in repetitive overhead sports. Although baseball players, particularly pitchers, are the most vulnerable athletes, these injuries also occur in contact athletes, gymnasts, and javelin throwers.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Osteopath Med
December 2024
Departments of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation and Orthopedics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA.
Overhead sports place a significant amount of stress on the shoulder. There are a variety of activities and sports with overhead athletes including both throwing (baseball, softball, football, cricket) and nonthrowing (tennis, swimming, volleyball) sports. Although all of these overhead motions can lead to pathology, a large focus has been on the consequences of overhead throwing.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Bodyw Mov Ther
October 2024
Department of Family Medicine, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, Canada; Centre de formation médicale du Nouveau-Brunswick, Université de Sherbrooke, Moncton, Canada. Electronic address:
Throwing events such as discus, shot put, and javelin involve repetitive and explosive overhead activities in a short period, which increases the risk of upper extremity injuries. Furthermore, the available data on seated throwers are inadequately documented. Thus, this study aims to (1) describe the muscle strength profiles of shoulder external and internal rotators and the elbow flexors and extensors in seated throwers, and (2) identify the differences in muscle strength between seated throwers competing at international levels and those at national levels.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEnter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!