A New Exercise Series for Enhanced Dynamic Shoulder Control In the Overhead Throwing Athlete
Kevin E. Wilk, DPT, PT I AJ. Yenchak, DPT, PT, CSCS, I Christopher A. ArrigoI James R. Andrews, M.D.
The Thrower’s Ten Program
Why should overhead athletes use the Thrower’s Ten Program? The answer is very simple. Overhead athletes should use the Thrower’s Ten Program because the program works! This comprehensive program, encompasses exercises for the entire throwing arm as well as the body. The exercises in the program have been carefully chosen because when performed in combination they improve muscular strength and decrease arm fatigue thus reducing the risk of injury. We have shown the single greatest predisposing factor to shoulder and elbow injury in youth baseball players to be fatigue.6,8 Improvement in muscular strength and power results in increased ball velocity. The Thrower’s Ten Program has been scientifically studied and showed to significantly increase throwing velocity in high school baseball players.1,2 The Thrower’s Ten Program has been published numerous times in scientific journals articles3-5.
The Thrower’s Ten Program was developed by Kevin Wilk, DPT and Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham, AL. These visionaries in throwing injury prevention and rehabilitation assembled a group of experts with over a 100 years of combined baseball sports medicine experience to assist them in creating the Thrower’s Ten Program. Using data from EMG studies at the American Sports Medicine Institute (ASMI) and research centers across the country, they determined the best rehabilitation exercises and movements to isolate and strengthen the muscle groups responsible for the act of throwing.7,9,10,11 Collectively, we have successfully used this program over the past 27 years in the rehabilitation of thousands of injured throwing athletes and in preventative programs for countless other baseball players. The Thrower’s Ten Program has been constantly revised and adjusted through the years to ensure that it remains the single best exercise program available for every throwing athlete.
Not only is the Thrower’s Ten Program effective – it is also simple to perform. The program has been designed so that it does not require a lot of equipment or even dumbbells to successfully complete. In fact, it can be properly performed using just resistance tubing or bands. The Thrower’s Ten Program is ideally matched with Theraband’s CLX Consecutive Loop Resistance Band allowing easy performance regardless of where an athlete is, without any other equipment. The Thrower’s Ten Program can be done before throwing or play as an effective pre-performance dynamic warm-up. It can be performed in-season to maintain arm strength and flexibility; as well as after injury as part of a rehabilitation program and even prior to the season for arm development.
The Thrower’s Ten Program has been shown to address the three most significant causes of shoulder and elbow problems in throwing – decreased arm strength, increased fatigue and a lack of flexibility. The bottom line is that overhead throwing athletes should use the Thrower’s Ten Program as a safe, simple, and effective way to help them prevent shoulder and elbow injuries and enhance throwing performance.
The link below provides you with a video which demonstrates all the exercises in the Thrower’s Ten Program. Perform the program pain-free and enjoy the best and healthiest season of your career.
REFERENCES
1. Escamilla RF, Ionno M, deMahy MS, Fleisig GS, Wilk KE, Yamashiro K, Mikla T, Paulos L, Andrews JR. Comparison of Three Baseball-Specific Six-Week Training Programs on Throwing Velocity in High School Baseball Players. J Strength Cond Res 2012; 26: 1767-1781.
2. Escamilla RF, Fleisig GS, Yamashiro K, Mikla T, Dunning R, Paulos L, Andrews JR. Effects of a 4-Week Youth Baseball Conditioning Program on Throwing Velocity. J Strength Cond Research 2010; 24: 3247-3254.
3. Wilk KE, Arrigo CA, Hooks TR, Andrews JR: Rehabilitation of the Overhead Throwing Athlete: There Is More to It Than Just External Rotation/Internal Rotation Strengthening. Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation. 2016 Mar;8(3 Suppl):S78-90.
4. Wilk KE, Hooks TR: Rehabilitation of the throwing athlete: where we are in 2014. Clin Sports Med. 2015 Apr;34(2):247-61.
5. Wilk KE, Macrina LC, Cain LC, Dugas JR, Andrews JR: The recognition & treatment of SLAP lesions in the overhead athlete; Int J Sports Phys Ther 2013 8(5): 579-600.
6. Fleisig, GS, Andrews, JR. Prevention of Elbow Injuries in Youth Baseball Pitchers. Sports Health. 2012. Sep; 4(5):419-424.
7. Kibler WB, Sciascia AD, Uhl TL, Tambay N, Cunningham T. Electromyographic analysis of specific exercises for scapular control in early phases of shoulder rehabilitation. Am J Sports Med. 2008; 36(9): 1789-1798.
8. Lyman SL, Fleisig GS, Andrews JR, Osinski ED. Effect of pitch type, pitch count and pitching mechanics on risk of elbow and shoulder pain in youth baseball pitchers. Am J Sports Med. 2002; 30(4); 463-468.
9. Reinold MM, Escamilla RF, Wilk KE. Current concepts in the scientific and clinical rationale behind exercises for glenohumeral and scapulothoracic musculature. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2009; 39(2): 105-117.
10. Reinold MM, Macrina LC, Wilk KE, Fleisig GS, Dun S, Barrentine SW, Ellerbusch MT, Andrews JR. Electromyographic analysis of the supraspinatus and deltoid muscles during 3 common rehabilitation exercises. J Athl Train. 2007; 42(4): 464-469.
11. Reinold MM, Wilk KE, Fleisig GS, Zheng N, Barrentine SW, Chmielewski T, Cody RC, Jameson GG, Andrews JR. Electromyographic analysis of the rotator cuff and deltoid musculature during common sholder external rotation exercise, J Orthop Sports Phys Ther, 2004; 34(7); 385-394.
12. Wilk KE, Hooks TR, Macrina LC: The Modified sleeper stretch and modified cross body stretch to increase shoulder internal rotation range of motion in the overhead throwing athlete. J Orhtop Sports Phys Ther 2013, 43(12):891-894.