Principles of Postoperative Shoulder Rehabilitation in Throwing Athletes

The rehabilitation of the overhead throwing athlete is a complex and often lengthy process. After completion of the intial phases of rehab involving strength and motion recovery, sports specific throwing rehabilitation and graduated return to throwing are required. Safe and timely return to throwing following shoulder surgery in baseball players requires sophisticated coordination and communication between clinicians, coaches, and players. Strict adherence to underlying principles of an interval throwing program would afford players the best chance of successfully returning to his or her preinjury level of performance. Open and constant communication between players, trainers, and coaches would ensure that any soreness or pain experienced by the player would be reported and assessed in a timely manner. Such reporting would minimize the chance of delaying progress through the interval throwing program.