Rehabilitation Techniques for Shoulder Injuries: Resulting from Repetitive Overhead Motions

Athletes participating in sports requiring overhead motions, such as baseball, softball, volleyball, swimming, water polo, tennis, and various throwing events in track and field, present a challenge to the athletic trainer and sports medicine staff. Areas of concern include excessive anterior joint capsule laxity, posterior joint capsule tightness, limited posterior and anterior shoulder musculature flexibility, strength and endurance imbalances of dynamic stabilizers, mechanical stresses which disrupt normal biomechanics, poor sport-specific mechanics, and abnormal postural alignment, which lead to shoulder instability or impingement. This manual will highlight areas of concerns and present rehabilitation techniques consisting of range of motion and flexibility, strength and endurance, neuromuscular control (closed-kinetic- chain and plyometric training), aquatic therapy, functional progressive activities, and a preventative in-season program.