Attention Throwers! Has This Ever Happened To You!?

It's that time of year where our throwers begin to drip feed back into pre-season and start to test the shoulder out after having it on ice for 4 months. You enter your first two training sessions and think you can throw it as hard and fast as you did in March, and then all of a sudden ruminate as to why your shoulder or elbow is so sore all of a sudden. Sound familiar? It sure does to me because I do it every single preseason. Be better than me.

Whether you're a baseball pitcher, cricket fast bowler, javelin thrower, softball player, or compete in another overhead throwing sport, your body is exposed to enormous forces every time you throw.

Throwing is one of the fastest movements the human body performs. Producing velocity isn't simply about having a strong shoulder—it requires a combination of mobility, strength, power, endurance and coordination throughout the entire body. If one link in the chain isn't functioning well, performance may decline and the risk of injury can increase.

At SportsFit Health and Rehab Five Dock, we assess throwing athletes to identify the physical qualities that influence both performance and injury risk. Here are some of the key areas we evaluate.

Thoracic Mobility for Throwers

The thoracic spine (upper back) plays an important role in transferring force from the lower body into the throwing arm. Adequate thoracic rotation and extension allow athletes to generate rotational power while helping reduce unnecessary stress on the shoulder and elbow.

It's important to remember that more mobility isn't always better. The goal is to have enough movement for your sport while maintaining strength and control throughout that range.

Example exercises:

• Book openers

• Thread the needles

Shoulder External Rotation: Why It Matters

During the late cocking phase of throwing, the shoulder reaches extremely high levels of external rotation. This position stores elastic energy that contributes to ball velocity, but it also places considerable demand on the shoulder.

Successful throwers require both adequate external rotation range and the strength to control these extreme positions. Simply having a flexible shoulder isn't enough.

Example exercises:

• Cable external rotations

• End-range isometric holds

Should Throwers Stretch Their Internal Rotation?

Many overhead athletes naturally lose some internal rotation over the course of their career. While some loss can be a normal adaptation, excessive restriction may influence throwing mechanics and increase stress on surrounding tissues.

Rather than aiming for perfect symmetry, the goal is to understand whether your shoulder has the amount of motion that is appropriate for your body and your sport.

Example exercises:

• Sleeper stretch

• Banded shoulder distraction external rotations

Why Forearm Strength Matters for Throwers

The forearm muscles play an important role in controlling the ball, transferring force and helping protect the elbow during throwing. Both pronation and supination strength contribute to efficient movement and may assist in managing the high rotational forces experienced during overhead sports.

These muscles are often overlooked despite being essential for many throwing athletes.

Example exercises:

• Hammer pronation and supination

• Lever bar rotations

Developing Rotational Power

Throwing begins from the ground up. The hips and trunk generate much of the force that is ultimately transferred through the shoulder and into the ball.

Improving rotational power allows athletes to produce greater throwing velocity while relying less on the arm alone.

Example exercises:

• Rotational medicine ball throws

• Scoop tosses

The Importance of Eccentric Biceps Strength

The biceps does far more than bend the elbow. During the follow-through phase of throwing, it works eccentrically to help slow the arm after ball release.

Because of these high deceleration demands, building eccentric strength can be an important part of both rehabilitation and performance training.

Example exercises:

• Slow lowering biceps curls

• Tempo hammer curls

Shoulder Stability and Oscillatory Capacity

Throwing requires the shoulder muscles to respond to rapidly changing forces in fractions of a second. The rotator cuff and surrounding muscles must continually adjust to keep the shoulder stable while allowing explosive movement.

Training oscillatory capacity challenges the shoulder to produce repeated, rapid muscle contractions and may improve dynamic control during throwing.

Example exercises:

• Bodyblade training

• Perturbation drills

Rate of Force Development: Producing Force Quickly

Strength is important, but throwing also requires the ability to generate force extremely quickly. This quality is known as Rate of Force Development (RFD).

Athletes who can produce force rapidly are often better equipped to translate strength into explosive throwing performance.

Example exercises:

• Explosive medicine ball throws

• Plyometric push-ups

Don't Forget the Kinetic Chain

Although the shoulder often receives the most attention, successful throwing relies on the entire body working together.

Hip strength, trunk control, lower limb power and balance all contribute to efficient force transfer. Weakness or poor coordination elsewhere in the body may increase the workload placed on the shoulder and elbow.

A comprehensive assessment considers the whole athlete—not just the painful area.

Every Thrower Is Different

No two throwing athletes are the same.

Some athletes need to improve mobility, while others require greater strength, power, endurance or movement control. Training the wrong quality may waste valuable time and fail to address the real limitation.

At SportsFit Health and Rehab Five Dock, we use a comprehensive assessment to identify the factors that may be affecting your performance or contributing to injury. From there, we develop an individualised rehabilitation or performance program based on your goals and your sport.

Whether you're returning from injury, preparing for competition, or looking to throw faster and with greater confidence, our physiotherapists can help you build the physical qualities needed to perform at your best.