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If you play baseball, tennis, or quarterback on your football team, you may understand the high levels of stress that are placed on your shoulder during overhead throwing motions.

Like your hip, your shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint. However, unlike your hip, it is not a tight fit, which leaves it susceptible to injury – especially during high-pressure activities, such as repeated throwing or serving. Overuse of the shoulder without proper conditioning and recovery can lead to pain, and eventually tears in the rotator cuff or labrum.

Shoulder injuries are not only painful, they interfere with everyday life and the recovery process is long and usually requires surgery. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, so in this article we will discuss one of the best methods for strengthening your shoulder preventing injuries altogether.

The “Thrower’s Ten Program” is a series of stretches and exercises designed to improve the strength and mobility of your rotator cuff and scapular stabilization muscles.

Here are the ten basic movements of the program:

1. Diagonal extension & flexion
2. Internal & external rotation (0 and 90 degrees)
3. Shoulder abduction to 90 degrees
4. Scapation, internal rotation
5. Prone horizontal abduction
6. Seated press-ups
7. Prone rowing
8. Push-ups
9. Elbow flexion & extension
10. Wrist exercises

For a detailed step-by-step guide with pictures for each exercise, check out this page from Muhlenberg College.

If it is too late and you have already sustained a shoulder injury, help is just a phone call away at Orthopaedic Specialty Group. With three convenient locations in southern Connecticut and a team of expert shoulder specialists, we have the experience and technology needed to help you overcome your pain. Click here to visit our website for more information, or schedule an appointment with one of our licensed physicians by dialing (203) 337-2600.