Training and rehabilitation of throwing athletes often lacks a holistic approach that is based on the fundamental sciences that govern how we move, heal, and think. Successful rehabilitation of complex throwing related injuries requires a culmination of in-depth knowledge of biomechanics, physiology, motor learning, and orthopedic injuries. Likewise, peak performance is never truly attained without a blend of interventions focused around the aforementioned sciences. This book will combine these sciences with experience of the art of sport to create an actionable approach that is aimed at altering the perspective of high-level coaches and clinicians who rehabilitate and train baseball players.
Numerous athletes, in fact thousands of athletes walk into the physician's office or physical therapy clinic daily with throwing injuries. Frankly, many of these athletes may never throw another ball competitively again. A specific and proven approach to optimizing their healing and recovery can get these athletes back on the field. Furthermore, quality assessment and training of these athletes prior to injury may have prevented future injury while simultaneously allowing the athlete to realize their full potential on the field.
This book will provide an understanding of the foundational sciences that guide therapeutic and performance enhancing interventions. Readers will next move into a unique assessment approach to truly discover where each athlete is limited and succeeding. This book will provide a comprehensive guide to common orthopedic pathologies in throwers with associated biomechanical faults. Understanding how the body moves and how it can potentially move requires screening and assessment processes that can identify where and how an athlete may compensate and rob themselves of speed or where they may have the capacity to move more effectively allowing them to better recruit velocity. Throwing analysis requires more than observation of traditional coaching models or just an understanding of physics but also an understanding of how the nervous system coordinates the movement apparatus as a whole and how intricate joint motions can correlate to injury or inefficiency. The most commonly neglected component of training and rehabilitation programs for throwing and pitching athletes are biomechanical and motor learning interventions that are focused around improving the sequencing of the throw to allow athletes to move through the throw without placing pathologic stresses on their shoulder or elbow. The most potent exercises are designed around an understanding of how the body actually moves in contextual sporting environments.
Readers will ultimately gain an understanding of every aspect of creating or recreating durable, elite level throwers. Our goal is and has always been to protect as many athletes as possible from injury and assist athletes in reaching their full potential. We are glad that you are joining us on this mission to elevate the level of care and effectiveness of training for all throwing athletes through scientifically backed and medically justified techniques and interventions. We see this text as a catalyst towards more optimal performance training and effective rehabilitation across the board for pitchers and throwers alike.