It happens every spring. A young pitching ace that started strong is now beginning to lose some speed on his fast ball. A third baseman that had no problems last week can’t throw to first without pain.
The cause of the condition was the usual: not properly preparing the arm for the season.
To prevent shoulder problems one must participate in a exercise program specifically designed for tennis. A well-balance shoulder strengthening program includes; rotator cuff and scapular (shoulder blade) muscle exercises, reeducation, biomechanics, and a stretching program pre and post hitting.
Last week, in part one of “Prevention of Shoulder Injuries in Tennis,” I presented the basics principles of strengthening the large muscles of the shoulder. This week will demonstrate how to stabilize the important scapula muscles and smaller muscles of the shoulder such as the rotator cuff.
Last week we discussed the importance of strengthening and stabilizing the shoulder muscles to prevent injuries in tennis. This week we will focus on stretching the shoulder for injury prevention.
